Museveni warns contractors on shoddy work

By Vision reporter

President Yoweri Museveni has challenged professionals in Uganda to do a thorough and honest job, saying it is a pity that the Karuma Dam project was delayed by the shoddy work that was done in the previous procurement of the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC).

“In this case, an EPC and Funding agreement has been reached in a fairly short time,” the President said shortly after laying the foundation stone for the 600MW Karuma Hydro-Power Plant at Mutunda Sub county in Kiryandongo District.

The works commissioned by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development has been contracted to Sinohydro Corporation Limited of China at a cost of US$1.5billion with another US$290million for the transmission lines. The Exim Bank of China will provide 80% of the funding while the government of Uganda will avail the 15%.

Museveni described the occasion as a great day not only for Uganda but also for Africa and China.

“I am here for work not just talking. Ugandans need to be reminded that we must constrain consumption, in the short run, in order to fund our own development.   What the Government of Uganda (GOU) has been able to do in the electricity sector ─ building transmission lines by using the money we saved from the Energy Fund is an eye-opener,” the President told the cheering crowd at a rally at Karuma Primary School after performing the ground breaking ceremony. The colorful ceremony was graced by various government ministers, local leaders and also the Omukama of Bunyoro-Kitara Solomon Gafabusa Iguru.

The Karuma projects main activities will be in Mutunda and Kamdini subcounties covering the villages of Awoo, Karuma, Nora and Akuridia. The Project also covers associated transmission lines to evacuate generated electricity from the power plant to the national grid network. With a transmission line running from Karuma to Kawanda substation and another from Karuma to Olwiyo in Nwoya district while the third will run from Karuma to Lira substation all at a voltage of 400kV. This is the first time a 400kV transmission line will be constructed in Uganda.

The President hailed China for always being by the side of Africa at the hour of need and particularly thanked the two other Chinese companies, Gezhouba and CWE (China International Water and Electric Corporation) which will similarly take on Ayago and Isimba power dam construction.

“The financial resources we have been marshalling for these hydropower dams can now be used to co-fund the same projects with our Chinese friends and also fund other infrastructure projects such as the roads. By saving money in the energy fund, we have been able to give many Ugandans electricity. I was in Atiak and Awere, there is electricity, that is all our money,” he noted.

Museveni later called on the people of Kiryadongo to put aside their tribal differences and live in harmony. He said with the prevailing peace in the country, any Ugandan can settle in any part of his/her choice.

Earlier, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Engineer Irene Muloni urged the people of the area to support the project and said her ministry has financed the implementation of the resettlement Action Plan.

“A total of 465.55 hectares of land are required of which 192.75 is private land which government has to acquire, she said, adding that the valuation exercise identified 621 project affected persons with 478 of these paid while the rest have been given a three months period to vacate the project area.

The President of Sinohydro Corporation Ltd. Mr. ZengXin Liang thanked President Museveni, the government and the people of Uganda for giving them the opportunity to showcase their expertise in the hydropower production, adding that this would be the largest hydropower project in Uganda and will contribute towards providing power, creating jobs, promote local agriculture and industrial development. He added that the project will be environmental friendly.