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Leaders’ voices
In separate interviews with The Independent, on April 07, the local government leaders in the two districts welcomed the projects, but want more support in terms of equipment, health workers and drugs.
“We are happy to have it because it is going to do what we want,” says Dr. Lazarus Butenye, the medical officer and in charge for Nankandulo Health Centre IV.
Butenye says upon handover of the newly constructed health centre facility, they will be able to see more patients above the current number of 300 patients. He says the facility handles patients from Jinja, Kayunga and Kamuli districts.
Butenye adds that the expansion will decongest the facility and reduce chances of patients and visitors contracting diseases in this era of COVID-19 pandemic.
Godfrey Wambuzi, the principle at Lwanyama Technical Institute (located in Kamuli district), said the facility will further support the agenda of government to push students do practical courses which provide solutions to local problems and tangible jobs.
“We are glad to have these structures,” Wambuzi said. “We hope that more support in terms of equipment will come from the government and other well-wishers.”
The institute, which started eight years ego, had a total of 100 students before schools and higher institutions of learning were closed due to COVID-19 in March last year.
The institute is yet to resume with 50 students who have confirmed their attendance so far.
The facility is important because Kamuli district is among those districts in Uganda with high numbers of youth with ability to do technical education courses to meet demands of the local population.
In two years’ time, according to Wambuzi, the institute is projected to have an enrolment of 300 students now that there are more structures in place.
The institute offers a number of advanced and certificate courses including computer, motor vehicle driving and automotive mechanics, welding and metal fabrication, catering, tailoring and fashion design, hair dressing and bridal care, plumbing and pipe fitting, electrical installation and agriculture, according to Wambuzi.
The outgoing Kayunga District LCV Chairperson, Willian Tom Sserwanga, says “we are happy with the community development Action Program” given the limited resources that the district has to meet expectations of the population.
Sserwanga urges UEGCL, through its corporate social responsibility initiatives to support in repair and maintenance of the structures in future.
Commenting specifically on the health projects, the Kayunga District Health Officer, Dr. Ahmed Matovu, said the facilities will serve as part of the solution to the people grappling with diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, respiratory infections, neonatal disorders and more.
“With a good working environment you expect good results,” Dr. Matovu said.
The Resident District Commissioner for Kamuli District, Robert Mutemo, is equally happy with the projects in the district.
“UEGCL and Isimba have made Kamuli shine than it was before,” he says. He is optimistic that, with limited resources from government, initiatives of this nature are key in furthering the agenda of government of improving livelihoods of the people.
“To the community…please own and protect these facilities…look after them because they are here for you and for many years,” he says.
He says, the security in the entire district is already tightly protecting these facilities from individuals who might vandalise or destroy them in pursuit for self-interests.
The overall objective of these projects is to improve the livelihoods of the communities that host the two powerful projects.
The estimated working budget for Kamuli and Kayunga districts is Shs15billion. The budget for Karuma CSR projects that is so far disclosed is US$3million (approx.Shs11bn).
Going forward, Enock Kusasira, said UEGCL is in talks with National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) to extend piped water to homes.
Similarly, UEGCL intends to extend power to the nearby communities in partnership with the Rural Electrification Agency.
Background of Isimba dam
The 183MW Isimba Hydropower dam was commissioned in March 2019. It is located 4KM downstream of Simba Falls on the River Nile, approx.50km downstream of the source of the Nile. The project site is about 21km from Kayunga town and about 65km from Jinja town. The power station is installed with four vertical Kaplan turbine generator units with a capacity of 45.8MW per unit, thereby providing a combined installed capacity of 183.2MW. The power dam is bordered by three districts – Kamuli, Kayunga and Jinja. Currently, according to David Lubega, the operations manager for the dam, the dam’s utilisation capacity currently standards at an average of slightly over 60%. The project cost is US$570million (slightly over Shs1.4tn). The contractor for the project, China International Water & Electric Corporation, has asked for another one year ‘defects liability period’ extension to fix the remaining flaws of the dam. The dam is currently operated and maintained by Ugandan trained engineers.
Karuma dam
The 600MW Karuma Hydro Power dam is located on the Nile River in Kiryandongo district in mid-northern Uganda. When completed, it will be the largest power generating installation in the country. UEGCL officials say, official commissioning of the US$1.7bn project is next year. It is being constructed by Sinohydro Corporation Limited with UEGCL as the government implementing agency. Overall progress as at end of March 2021 was estimated at 98%.
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