Africa-Press – Uganda. A Ministry of Energy official has revealed that Uganda spends more than Shs200b to replace vandalised power lines.
Speaking at a symposium on the implication of climate change and energy transition on Uganda’s extractives strategy in Kampala yesterday, Ms Irene Batebe, the permanent secretary of the Energy ministry, said they are doing their best to deal with the issue.
“We have been working well in minimising power losses in past years. We have been able to bring down energy losses from 38 percent to 18 percent today and we do have targets to bring them further down,” Ms Batebe said.
She urged Ugandans to be more vigilant against vandalism and report all related cases to the ministry.
Earlier this month, the government was looking for Shs1b to replace five electricity transmission towers in Mukono District that had been vandalised.
In a November 15 interview with Daily Monitor, Mr Sindronious Okasai, the State Minister for Energy, said each transmission tower costs Shs200m.
Mr Onesmus Mugyenyi, the deputy executive director of Advocates Coalition for Development and Environmental (ACODE), which organised the symposium, said corruption has hindered efforts to curb vandalism.
“One of the challenges that we are confronted with is how we utilise our revenues. Managing corruption becomes a very important factor. We need to make sure that our little resources are efficiently utilised,” Mr Mugyenyi said.
Cases of vandalism have been rampant in past years, especially in Nsooba, Mulago, Kawempe, Kisenyi II Zone, New Taxi Park, Old Kampala, Lusanja-Kasangati, Kakajjo zone, Bweyogerere, Najjanankumbi, Kisekka Market, Namuwongo, Kabaawo zone and Mutundwe, all of which are within the Kampala Metropolitan area.
In Mpigi District the affected areas are Kiyunga Zone, Lufuka Village, Buyaya Village, Mpanga Forest Reserve, all of which are in the Katonga area, while Kasiika and Mpunge villages in Gomba District have also been affected by the vandalism. Others are Kasana “A” in Mubende District, Busimbi Village in Mityana, Ntwetwe Town Council in Kyankwanzi, Kabakanjagala Village in Kiboga District, among others.
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