Japan to fund a power extension to over 9000 Uganda Homes

Friday July 15, 2011

The Japanese International Co-operation Agency (JICA) is going to fund a power line extension in five rural districts of eastern Uganda.

The project, still in initial stages, is expected to benefit close to 9,400 households in Namayingo, Bugiri, Mayuge, Busia and Iganga districts.

“The 33kV power line will cover 135 kilometres and serve three landing sites, 38 trading centres, 96 schools and 13 health centres,” explained Phillip Ggayi, the senior planning engineer at the Rural Electrification Agency.

Ggayi and a team of Japanese experts from Yachiyo Engineering Company were on Wednesday briefing stakeholders from the beneficiary districts about the project at Namayingo district headquarters.

Ggayi said the Government had requested the grant in 2009 to fund phase III of the rural electrification programme.

However, before committing the resources, a technical team from Japan was tasked to carry out studies to help them design the project plan and estimate the cost.

“At this stage, no commitment has been made by the Japanese government in regard to the project,” Ggayi explained.

He was, however, optimistic that Japan would approve it by the end of this year.

The project is expected to start next year, pending the grant approval by Japan.

By Ronald Kalyango: The New Vision Newspaper