Govt launches free distribution of cooking gas cylinders, burners

Jul 05, 2022

“To get the cylinder gas you have to fill a form with the Local Council Chairman and demonstrate that you can refill it once it is over,” Muyita said. 

Minister for energy and mineral development Ruth Nankabirwa. Photos by John Odyek

John Odyek
Journalist @New Vision

The Government has launched the distribution of free cooking gas cylinders and burners to enable Ugandans to cook faster, using clean and affordable energy. 

Solomon Muyita, the communications manager at the ministry of energy and mineral development said one million gas cylinders and burners have been manufactured and ready for distribution. 

Muyita said the distribution of the 13kg will be continuous over the coming years. 

The minister for energy and mineral development, Ruth Nankabirwa, presided over the launch event. 

“To get the cylinder gas you have to fill a form with the Local Council Chairman and demonstrate that you can refill it once it is over,” Muyita said. 

Women attending the event screamed and ululated as the announcement was made. 

Uganda’s women struggle with rudimentary technologies for cooking such as firewood, charcoal and inefficient charcoal stoves. 

This was at Busabala Bugo Town, Wakiso District. 

Muyita added that production will start in 2025. 

"Government wants to start preparing Ugandans to use the abundant gas," he said. 

He noted that using cooking gas would enable Ugandans to reduce cutting trees to use for charcoal and firewood. 

"The use of cooking gas by households stands at 0.8%, but Government wants to increase to 30% in the next 10 years," he added. 

“Government will continue making cylinders and distributing them together with the burner. We want to protect forests. Gas cooks faster. The prohibitive factors for using gas have been the cylinders and burners which the government is giving out freely,” Muyita said. 

Each cylinder is estimated at sh300,000. 

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