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Activists Question UMEME $500m Investment After Electric Pole Car Accident

A section of Ugandans on social media are questioning the $500m investment by power distribution company following an accident in the city that saw an electric pole collapse on two vehicles, damaging them in the process.

On Wednesday, traffic was brought to a halt and the pole damaged two cars on Wilson Street in Kampala.

“Some of the $500M Umeme Limited, Uganda investments. I hope no one was hurt though,” Janette Mugisha wrote on Facebook.

Janette has been spearheading the accountability campaign on social media against the power distributor.

Last year, Managing Director Selestino Babungi said Umeme had cumulatively invested over $500m in the distribution network. He revealed that the investments have led to the doubling of the physical infrastructure, improved efficiencies, tripling of customer connections, supply reliability and improved customer service.
Kenneth Asiimwe wrote, “The 13,000 transformers in Uganda are not investments exclusively. We know that Rural Electrification Agency Uganda – REA , Donors and Private people have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the network including transformers.”
“How do they claim to have invested when we still have the longest distance between distribution transformers. This is the main cause of overloading and blowing of substations and transformers. The longer the distance between transformers…the more the losses,” he added.
Manner-YeahKay Reloaded StarTaffa asked, “Can they show us proof where they invested the 500m….Auditor General do you copy.

The Power distributor has been in the spotlight in the recent past with many calling for cancellation of its contract.

Last month, President Museveni wrote a letter to the Minister for Energy and Mineral development calling for the firm to be investigated and raising the possibility of not renewing its concession.

The President also called on the ministry to find cheaper ways of modernizing and expanding electricity transmission in the country.

 

 

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