$600m free electricity connection project to begin in September, says Minister Bahati

The State Minister for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Mr David Bahati, has said that the $600 million government plan to offer free electricity connection is scheduled to begin in September, targeting all Ugandans who can pay bills.

Mr Bahati who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Ndorwa West constituency in Kabale District, Western Uganda made the remarks while addressing residents of Butanda sub county in Kabale District as he popularized government programmes on wealth creation in the area where he also revealed that ferries would start docking on the shores Lake Bunyonyi to provide free transport means beginning September this year to boost trade and also improve the safety of people who have been victims of fatal boat accidents resulting from capsized dugout canoes.

“After realising that some people failed to connect electricity to their houses even when wired poles are just next to them, the government has decided to offer free connection as long as the beneficiaries can afford to pay for electricity bills. This project will cost the government about $600 million, and it will begin in September this year. Free Ferry means of transport will be available on Lake Bunyonyi beginning in September this year because the construction of two ferries now taking place at Heisesero centre in Rubanda District is nearing completion. All these good things are happening because of the visionary leadership of President Museveni and his ministers like me,” Mr Bahati said.

While some residents complained of being asked for a Shs20,000 bribe to access the Parish Development Model (PDM) funds, Mr Bahati warned that all the public servants accused of picking bribes from beneficiaries of government programmes would be arrested and prosecuted as long as the victims provide evidence pinning them.

“As we head for the NRM party primary election in preparation for next year’s general election, elect the tested leaders who have championed development in your respective communities. Do not listen to the newcomers who are feeding you promises of what they will do for you, yet you have your leaders who have proof of what they have done for you,” Mr Bahati said.               
During his village tours, Mr Bahati also said that the government would not evict people using wetlands for agricultural practices until they are duly compensated or given matching alternatives livelihoods.
 
Early this year, a section of leaders and farmers in Kigezi sub-region rejected the government proposal of giving them domestic animals procured from other parts of the country as an alternative livelihood to vacate wetlands, as they advocated for cash compensation equivalent to the pieces of land they have been using for farming in wetlands.
This came at a time when authorities in different districts of the Kigezi sub region were implementing the presidential directive on the restoration of wetlands for the purposes of conserving the environment.

In January the Kabale district chief administrative officer Mr John Asiimwe wrote a letter requesting the executive director of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) to allow them to use the direct procurement method so as to utilize Shs1.481 billion from the Green Climate Fund and United Nations Development Programme to procure 399-heifers, 384-goats, 24-sheep, 67-pigs, 460-poultry, 40-bee hives and one sewing machine for some people that accepted to vacate wetlands in the district although the request was not granted on grounds that  PPDA does not have the powers to grant applications for deviations in respect to procurement methods.