By Rose Kasigwa

Former Energy state minister Engineer Simon D’Ujanga has advised government to ensure free power connections so as to increase power consumption in rural areas.

Speaking about the transition of power distribution from UMEME LTD to  a government entity UEDCL, D’Ujanga said that apparently, power lines are available however, many people in rural areas cannot take power to their houses due to lack of connection money.

Simon D’Ujanga  who served as the deputy managing director of the now defunct Uganda Electricity Board, the government-owned electrical utility company, from 1994 until 1997 and later  1997 until 1998,  serving  as its managing director advises government to find money and extend power lines to rural areas covering all sub counties and villages.

D’Ujanga says that the country now has enough capacity to generate power however, needs to increase distribution in order to raise power consumption per capita which is one of indicators of development.

“When I was a minister I tried using money borrowed from china and I distributed power beyond sub counties throughout the country however, the demand was overwhelming.” said D’Ujanga.

D’Ujanga also advised UEDCL company to ensure efficiency by repairing the broken lines as they happen in order to enable the power to keep flowing.

He also advised top managers of UEDCL, to desist from political influence.“What is worrying is people are going to say this is our company and politicians are going to demand free services from the new company, since we are heading for elections” said D’Ujanga  He however, advises the company to stay strong asking  the minister in charge to shield them.

D’Ujanga contribution to establishment of power in  WEST NILE region

In 1970S West nile had one diesel generator located in Arua   which used to supply power for only 4 hours and the rest of the time every part of westnile was in total darkness as time went by, another diesel generator was established in moyo and then  Koboko.

D’Ujanga reveals that when he was appointed a director with Uganda Electricity Board (UEB) in 1988 he established a generator in Nebbi and subsequently power was also extended to paidha

“The easiest point to connect power to west nile region at that time  was from Lira however, this was not possible due to the  insurgency caused by LRA led by Joseph Kony.” said D’Ujanga.

The former state minister for energy and former legislator for Okoro County further reveals that   when he joined politics in 2001,   it’s then when he lobbied for 13 million Euros from the European Union to enable Nyagak hydro power that extended power to all parts of westnile.

“After the insurgency   I moved a motion before parliament to borrow 100 m dollars to   get power from Lira and connect west Nile to the national grid which was done” said D’Ujanga.

He adds, What remains now is to extend power to the communities households  however, it unfortunate that the power lines  are in place and people have failed to take it to their households because they cannot afford connection fees.

“In many parts of Zombo district,    power is passing people’s homes and they can’t connect to the grid due to lack of money for connections, and government should look for money to connect them free of charge.” Said D’Ujanga.

D’Ujanga further dismisses the issue of poor housing infrastructure in westnile region as one of the hindrances of many people not extending power to the households. He explains that with now many innovations and technology a house hold can have a single board erected on the wall with one switch for boiling water, another for charging phones and lighting.

Speaking during a televised program on April 7, 2025, the minister for Energy, Ruth Nankabirwa said that West Nile region being connected to the national grid is not enough to address power challenges in the region adding that there is need to put in place infrastructure like transformers to enable transmission and distribution.

Nankabirwa also  clarified that West Nile Rural Electrification Company (WENRECo) concession is still running and government is waiting for the concession to expire so as to switch onto the new arrangement.

“We are in  the process of harmonizing and synchronizing, an agreement is an agreement you can’t just break it  without following what was put on paper in that agreement.” Said Nankabirwa

 In 2003 West Nile Rural Electrification Company (WENRECo) acquired a license to generate, distribute, and sell electricity in the West Nile region.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Irene Pauline Batebe explained that government policy of “No Pole” electricity connection program, which they had with UMEME will continue, this is part of the government initiative that offers free connections where an existing pole is within 35 meters. “ As we wind up with UMEME, UEDCL is taking on the responsibility from the time they start on April 1 and expects to make  400, 000 connections in a year.” Said Batebe.