Ronald Kalyango

KILEMBE Investments and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have signed a sh4.2b deal to extend power from Nkenda in Kabale district to Kasese and Bushenyi districts.

The 33kV-powerline is funded by the World Bank. The contract was signed at REA's boardroom in Kampala last week.

Spencon Construction Services has been contracted to execute the project.

The project should be ready in eight months, top officials said during the signing ceremony.

"We have moved a long journey but can not say we have reached.

"But I am sure the remaining distance to enable us attain our goal will soon be realised," said Mfite Basaza, the Kilembe managing director, said.

Basaza said the construction works consist supplying, installation, testing, commissioning of 33kV power lines and associated low voltage reticulation networks.

Godfrey Turyahikayo, the REA executive director, praised Kilembe for responding to their call for investing in rural power.

"The path that you are going to take is painful. Kilembe was one of the local companies that responded to our call.
"Most of the investors were interested in generation not extension," said Turyahikayo.
He warned the contractor that the money was time-bound so they needed to execute the activity in the shortest time possible.

"This is a time bound activity. The money has a time limit, you need to move as fast as possible to make sure that there are no delays," said Turyahikayo.

Uganda is currently faced with power shortages that have resulted into electricity rationing commonly known as load-shedding.

This follows the dwindling of power generation at the two power stations in Jinja to 145 mega watts from the installed capacity of 380 mega watts.

However, several efforts have been put in place to solve the problem.

Source: New Vision