China International Water and Electricity Corporation (CIWEC), the contractor for Isimba Hydropower project has come under fire for failing to come up with a tangible plan on how to resolve at least 300 defects that have riddled the dam.
MPs say this puts Uganda’s investment of about US$567 Million (Shs2.076Trn) at risk.
Leading the criticism was Herbert Ariko, Chairperson, Parliament’s Committee on Environment and Natural Resources during a meeting held between Parliament, Ministry of Energy and the contractors overseeing the construction of Isimba Dam.
“One of the things that the MPs were very much concerned about was the lack of specific structured or well thought out plan, either remedy to correct these defects. We were a little bit concerned that we noted that there was disharmony in approach of addressing these issues between the Owner’s Engineer who is our representative as Government, and the Contractor. The contractor didn’t demonstrate to MPs, giving commitment that these are the steps that are going to be undertaken to save this very important project,” explained Ariko.
He detailed the Committee findings noting, “Indeed, while at the dam, we established both in the presentation and from the on-sight observation, that there was a problem with the main spill way of the dam. Isimba costed Government over US$567M (Shs2.076Trn). It is a flagship project, at the time where our Government focuses on electricity, as one of the key drivers of attainment of the National Development Plan IV of this country, we can’t afford to have some of these facilities going down.”
He made the remarks while providing an update on the oversight visit to Isimba dam on 10th February 2025, saying the Committee was prompted to undertake the visit in order to assess the operational status of power generation at Isimba and its contribution of power to the national grid.
“During consideration for the Budget Framework Paper for 2025/26, the Committee heard that there were a few operational, structural and technical challenges at the dam. And indeed, the Committee heard that at the dam, we had structural integrity problems with the main steel way. We also heard that there were some problems with the embankment on the dam on either side,” Ariko explained.
He further added that the Committee’s oversight visit was intended to examine the challenges that are affecting project implementation especially the reasons for delay, causes of defects if any, remedial action taken to address the defects on Isimba dam and also establish the contractor’s performance status.
Ariko remarked, “We also wanted to have an on-sight inspection of the structural integrity of the facility, based on what we had heard in the Committee. This dam was commissioned about four years ago, and the Committee was very much concerned to learn that within the first four years, we already had, not necessarily challenges arising out of ware down, or probably breakdown of some of the facilities at the project but indeed challenges arising out of structural defects which are as a result of poor workmanship.”
