Ray of hope as Minister Nankabirwa inaugurates new UETCL board

The Minister of Energy and Mineral Development in Uganda Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa has inaugurated the new Board for Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL).

She was flanked by the state minister for Privatization and Investment Hon. Evelyn Anite, State Minister for Energy Olupot Okasai and State Minister for Minerals Hon. Peter Lokeris, during the launch that occured on Wednesday morning at the ministry board room.

This positive development is in correlation with the signing of the new Electricity Act by President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday, whose provisions are meant to improve electricity-related service delivery.

During the launch, the new Board Chairperson Kwame Ejalu led his entire team (Achiro Sharon, Eng Innocent Oboko Yotkum, Sylvia Muheebwa Nabatanzi, Eng Cecilia Nakiranda, Julius Mukoli & George Rwabajungu) to be inaugurated and sworn in.

Honourables Nankabirwa and Anite jointly implored the new Board to set high corporate governance standards, and also work towards eliminating intrigue at UETCL which during the tenure of their predecessors saw some senior officials leak key company secrets to the media, leading to their dismissal and subsequent replacement with Ejalu and his team.

Hon. Nankabirwa who confessed having personally crafted Eng Nakiranda into the new Board, advised that if there are any disagreements, members should prioritize dialogue or involve her office or even Anite’s to resolve the same on good time as opposed to allowing things to escalate.

She bluntly told the new Board members that alot is expected from them, including working towards expanding the electricity transmission network beyond the current 3,100kms, so as to enable more Ugandans access and begin using electricity, which the country currently produces in excess of what can readily be consumed.

The Energy Minister also stressed the need to deepen access to electricity which, according to her is further justified by the fact that Uganda currently has a very high fertility and population growth rate, implying that the need for electricity can only grow.

“The Government of Uganda is counting on this new leadership at UETCL to work towards growing the number of Ugandans currently using electricity from 57% to 100% which will be synonymous with universal access to electricity which remains the NRM target for 2030 under Vision 2040,” said Hon. Nankabirwa.

She also called upon the new Board to work towards growing the number of UETCL electricity sub stations from the current 25 in the whole country.

Also speaking during the inauguration, Hon. Anite cautioned new Board members to expect anything because the impending rationalization and merging of agencies could in some way impact on their assignment and deployment as UETCL governing Board members.

“There is a clear disclaimer to your appointment that all this is subject to the rationalization exercise of government agencies. So please do not rush to drag us to court in case something comes up along the way,” Minister Anite observed.

The Permanent secretary in the Energy ministry Ms.Irene Batebe implored the new Board members to be mindful of the fact that they are coming in at a time of tremendous reforms, including the rationalization of government agencies which could see Generation, Transmission and Distribution companies merged into one mega entity to implement the delivery of electricity services.

On his part, the new Board Chairperson Kwame Ejalu promised to do his best not to disappoint the Minister who appointed him and requested to be permitted to co-opt someone with the finance background to enrich Board level decision-making because none of the new members is representative of that skills mix.

Accordingly, the government’s strategy of increasing forex inflows into the country is also hinged on expanding exportation of electricity to nearby states like DRC, through the 400kv lines which include Kawanda-Karuma, Karuma-Olwiyo, Nimule-Juba-Olwiyo, Masaka-Mwanza and Beni-Bunya.