Umeme MD commits to kicking out load shedding, cutting power price

Viewers of the inaugural Spotlight UG show on NBS Television on Monday night will have first-hand listened to Umeme Managing Director, Selestino Babungi, as he pledged to continue working towards alleviating load shedding and reducing the cost of electricity per unit for Ugandans.

The show had come on the back of media reports alluding to intermittent darkness in areas of Gulu. 

Babungi added that efforts to increase the number of megawatts from 180 MW to 200 MW for the sole purpose of increasing the capacity and driving access to 100% service levels are underway.

“We need to drive power reliability to high economic hubs to create jobs and put money in people’s pockets through industrialization. We also want to drive access, adding another 300,000 per annum in terms of connection,” Babungi said.

The Private Sector that has previously been on the receiving end of the misgivings from the concessionaire Umeme also appreciated Umeme’s current efficiency levels.

The sector was represented by Private Sector Foundation–Uganda Managing Director, Gideon Badagawa, who said, “We invest to make money, and this is by suppressing costs to maximize profit – utilities such as water and power are key to this, and we are steadily moving in the right direction.”

With COVID-19 a big challenge to economies worldwide, the energy sector is expected to play a critical role in ensuring continuity in production. As Uganda eyes implementation of the National Development Plan Three (NDP3), the energy sector is anticipated to be a huge contributor to the country’s social and economic transformation.

Spotlight UG is a platform that NBS Television has put in place to have different ministries, government agencies and departments provide accountability to Ugandans every Monday at 10 pm. The show also airs on UBC TV and Urban TV concurrently.