Under the Free Electricity Connection Policy, beneficiaries within 90 metres of a low-voltage pole will receive connections at no cost—a move expected to benefit the poor, rural populations, refugee-hosting districts, and small enterprises.
Depending on the nature of the farm and equipment costs, the government contributes between 25% and 75% of the total cost. Farmers acquiring solar-powered systems, for instance, pay only 25%. Despite its benefits, the programme—launched in the 2021/22 financial year in 40 districts—has seen a slow uptake.
The World Bank stopped financing of Nuclear power plants in 1965. Critics have opposed nuclear or atomic energy over feared risk. Others have said it is too costly for countries to fund nuclear reactors.
Chansa who was sharing details of a new World Bank report on the feasibility of increasing fiscal space for health in the country and resource pooling options for development assistance last evening, said that Uganda has a high annual road traffic fatality rate and crashes contribute up to 45 per cent of hospital admission and yet motor vehicle insurance coverage remains low at about 33 per cent with a very chaotic claims system.
The report says growth in fragile and conflict-affected situations (FCS) is forecast to weaken marginally from 5.7 percent in 2024 to 5.5 percent in 2025, before picking up to an average of 7.0 percent a year in 2026-27.
Joseph Lobot, the LC5 chairperson of the Amudat district said that the Grow project was well thought out but miscalculated when the proponents thought that all women were equal in terms of entrepreneurship skills, capability, and legalization of enterprises.
Speaking to URN on the sidelines of the Energy Access Investment Forum (EAIF) 2025, Okasaai noted that despite investing up to USD 1.5 billion (about UGX 5.7 trillion) over the past decade in the electricity sub-sector, the funding remains inadequate to achieve nationwide electrification.
Bonny Odora Okello from Latanya Sub-county expressed frustration over delays, stating that the requirement for group payments complicates the process since farmers have different financial capacities. He also blamed the district leaders, particularly the procurement team for ignoring technical and focal person during decision making.
According to Ivan Tekakwo, the Northern Region area spokesperson for the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), the dam has dried up and can no longer produce the required amount of water needed to supply the population.
Michael Otim, the Project Manager at APSEDEC, told URN that the project will focus on two key catchment areas—Oyitino 1 in the northwestern part of Gulu City and Oyitino 2 in the far west of Oyitino 1.
Sadam Kwemboi, a Senior Agriculture Engineer and the focal point person for the Ugift program in Nabilatuk District, explained that acquiring irrigation equipment individually was very expensive until recently when the government stepped in to provide support for committed farmers who cannot afford the system by offering grants.
The initiative is part of a $354.7 million nationwide effort covering 69 districts in Uganda. It is funded by the World Bank, Individual Development Account Financing, and the Government of Uganda.
The completed process line facilities include the distribution chamber, coagulation chamber, flocculation chamber, clarifier, gravity filters, intermediate tank, and contact tank of 2.5 million litres holding capacity which are all functional.
Richard Komakech, a businessman who makes chapatti about 100 meters from the southern end of the Hospital says he is afraid the constant emission of the fumes which he has been inhaling for months may make him sick.
Muhangi noted that while some districts struggle to absorb the allocated funds and ultimately return them to the national treasury, the demand for irrigation support in Lyantonde remains high. He emphasized the necessity of reallocating these unutilized funds to areas where they are most needed.
Dr Sylvia Henga, a Policy Officer and Food Security Officer for IGAD in Uganda, pointed out that food loss and waste reduce the availability of nutritious food, exacerbating food insecurity and malnutrition. Additionally, the economic losses associated with food wastage are substantial, impacting farmers, businesses, and consumers.
Connecting 250 million people to electricity would open private sector investment opportunities in distributed renewable energy alone worth $9 billion. For the World Bank Group to connect 250 million people, $30 billion of public sector investment will be needed.
According to Patrick Okot, the Palabek Abera Sub-County Chairperson, only 18.5 kilometers out of the 34.8 kilometers road have been worked on by the contractor since the agreement was signed in 2022.
