President Yoweri Museveni said he is set to move parliament to fast track the amendment to the Electricity Act and eliminate middlemen in the supply of electricity right from generation to consumers.
President Museveni’s decision follows a meeting with a delegation of Chinese Investors from Mbale Industrial Park who expressed concerns over power shortages and high costs associated with electricity supply in the country.
President Museveni said majority of the concerns from the investors will be addressed under the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and he will soon engage the Speaker of Parliament to fast-track the processing of the Bill.
“I noted that there is a need to fast-track the amendment of the Umeme Act and ensure that electricity goes directly from generation to the industrial consumer. We should amend the law. I will talk to the speaker.” Museveni posted on Twitter.
Among the amendments in the Electricity (Amendment) Bill currently before parliament, are provisions to address the sector’s institutional regulators and to allow isolated power generation plants to sell electricity to distribution companies or directly to consumers for both technical and commercial expediency.
The Bill also prescribes a position under which a holder of a generation licence may sell and supply electricity to holders of a distribution licence, transmission licence or directly to a specified class or category of customers.
According to the Bill, the purpose for the amendment is to increase coverage of the national grid and cater for places in the country where it is not economically viable to extend the transmission grid.
During the meeting, the Chinese delegation expressed interest in further investment, particularly in a Crypto-currency industrial park.
Earlier, president Museveni had a meeting with Turkish Investors and wooed them to join Uganda’s Agro-Industrial Business and partner with Uganda on mineral exploration & value addition on exports. He reiterated to them that the areas for investment opportunities in Uganda are innumerable.
Museveni assured the investors that Uganda is open for investment and ready for take-off.
