President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has commissioned the Karuma Hydropower Project, constructed by Sinohydro Corporation Limited, a Chinese company adding an additional 600 megawatts to Uganda’s energy bank.
During the commissioning, the president expressed his gratitude to the government of China for funding the project and commended Sinohydro for delivering high-quality work.
“At least now we have made progress, but we have a long way to go. Our target is to have enough electricity at a low cost,” President Museveni stated.
He also highlighted Uganda’s four key economic sectors: commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services, and ICT, underscoring the need for affordable and reliable electricity to drive growth in these areas.
Additionally, the president emphasised the importance of low transport costs and access to markets, noting the government’s efforts to repair and expand railway infrastructure to achieve lower transport costs.
President Museveni also stressed the significance of skilled human labour in boosting Uganda’s economy, particularly in factories across the country.
He further addressed the issue of vandalism of electricity infrastructure, promising to work with the Cabinet to find a lasting solution to the problem.
Warning against borrowing from money lenders, the President urged Ugandans involved in agriculture and manufacturing to seek loans from Uganda Development Bank (UDB), the Emyooga programme, or the Parish Development Model (PDM).
“I have nothing to do with money lenders because they are your enemies. I am going to take action against them; I will crush them because they are criminals,” he cautioned.
Vice President Jessica Alupo remarked that the commissioning of the Karuma Hydropower Plant is a significant milestone in Uganda’s development.
She noted, “The Karuma project is the steppingstone for Uganda to achieve its target of 52,000 MW by 2040.”
The Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa, highlighted that the project was partly funded by the Government of Uganda, contributing 15%, while the Exim Bank of China funded 85%.
China’s Ambassador to Uganda, Zhang Lizhong, expressed his delight at the completion of the project, describing it as a historic development for Uganda.
“I am happy to say that today our bilateral relations have reached their highest level,” he added.
Eng. Badru Kiggundu, Chairperson of the Karuma and Isimba Hydropower Project Steering Committee, noted that Karuma is Africa’s largest underground hydropower plant.
He praised the contractor for successfully delivering a high-quality project.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by ministers, members of parliament, permanent secretaries, business leaders, and other distinguished guests.
