Shs500b needed to connect 200,000 under free electricity policy
In June last year, the government had suspended the Electricity Connection Policy, citing lack of money. PHOTO | FILE
At least Shs500b is needed to connect more than 200,000 applicants whose requests remain pending under the Electricity Connection Policy, according to Mr Celestino Babungi, the Umeme managing director.
Speaking during a fact finding mission by the Natural Resource Committee of Parliament, Mr Babungi said connecting the backlog, which stands at more than 200,000 applicants, will require about half a trillion shillings.
“We require about Shs500b to ensure that we connect all the Electricity Connection Policy customers,” he told MPs during a meeting in Kampala in which a number of sector issues were also discussed.
In June last year, the government had suspended the Electricity Connection Policy, citing lack of money.
This had come after the World Bank had withdrawn finding due to poor project delivery, among other issues.
However, the suspension has since been lifted with government committing to fund the project amid various financial challenges.
During the meeting, Mr Babungi noted it was important that government provides required resources if they are to achieve targets provided for under the Electricity Connection Policy.
“At the moment we are lagging behind and it is putting us at odds with consumers who had applied,” he said, adding that they receive more than 250 applicants daily but cannot connect them because government has not guaranteed provision of funds.
The Electricity Connection Policy was established in 2018 with the objective of increasing electricity access and providing cleaner energy.
The policy also seeks to eliminate low access to electricity through subsidising last mile connections with the view of increasing electrification to 60 per cent by 2027.
The meeting chaired by Mr Emmanuel Otaala, the committee chairperson, urged government to provide the required money, noting that the Ministry of Energy should procure all necessary material to realise targets under the policy.
