only 225,000 Ugandan households or 4.3 per cent of the population are connected to the national grid. In the rural areas only about 2 per cent of households have access to electricity, of which less than half is provided through the national grid, the remainder coming from generators, car batteries and solar units.
Uganda, which came to the aid of Kenya when the country suffered a similar power crunch in 1999, stopped exporting power to Kenya in 2005. It is under these circumstances that the $799 million Bujagali hydropower project — sponsored by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (Akfed) — is seen as a major step forward in addressing this deficit.
By FRED OLUOCH
Special Correspondent
Recurrent power cuts, rationing and high tariffs have slowed down Uganda’s growth by 1.5 per cent and the country is still far from being self-sufficient in power. However, the 250 Megawatt Bujagali hydropower project is expected to ease the power crunch once commissioned in 2010.
Uganda — at one time an exporter of power to Kenya — currently generates only 120MW against the national demand of 300MW per day. The country has, since 2002, been rationing power, with some areas in Kampala going without electricity for up to 12 hours.
Ismailimail 