Rats, inadequate electricity halt sh5b equipment use in Kaberamaido

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Government-procured equipment worth over shillings five billion has been lying idle for over five years at the Kaberamaido Technical Institute in Kaberamaido district.

The equipment, including a bakery unit, oil mill, maize mill, rice mill, feed mill, water bottling unit and fruits processing plant, was delivered to the institute under the Government programme of production training, especially to provide practical hands-on experience to students and also to generate income to run the institution.

The institution authorities revealed that the equipment is underutilised due to inadequate power supply, and lack of space and some spare parts are spoiled after being eaten by rats, among others.

“The bakery unit lacks space, the oil mill lacks the housing including the filter and mortar needs repair, the maize mill needs to be reinstalled well and the rice mill lacks an exhaust and filter systems,” authorities explained.

They added that the fruit processing plant lacks the installation of the outside cooling tower and the feed mill processing unit lacks the power supply line from the transformer.

Lt. Gen. Peter Elwelu, senior presidential advisor in charge of monitoring government activities in Teso and Karamoja sub-regions looking on during the inspection of the equipment at Kaberamaido Technical Institute. (Photo by Emmanuel Alomu)

Institute principal Moses Angec highlighted that the faulty underground power cables resulted from contractors installing second-hand cables.

The principal said the institution needs a 250KW standby generator to run the unit because the current one has a lower capacity of only 80KWs.

He added that the Institution has now sourced a private consultant to help them identify more challenges and come up with a full comprehensive report to be used for lobbying purposes.

Sh500m support needed

To have the equipment revamped, the principal said, they need government support in the form of technology, expertise and funding worth over shillings 500 million to help them run the unit by putting the three-phase power line, structures and spare parts among others.

He added that once all the machines are operationalised, a memorandum of understanding will be signed to see how to recover the investment.

The revelations were made during the monitoring of government projects by Lt. Gen. Peter Elwelu, the officer in charge of monitoring government programmes in the regions of Teso and Karamoja on February 19, 2025.

Transforming the region

According to him, the equipment can accelerate the economic growth in the region because it can allow them to supply all the food needs in the district.

“We are sitting on resources but we cannot translate that resource into money because they are redundant due to the challenges,” he said.

Pius Epaju, the chairperson of the board of governors, said they raised this matter to the ministry to first help them with shillings 150- million for the cable but they were promised that the money may be available next financial year.

Little involvement of district authorities

Acting district education officer Richard Elyebu, representing Kaberamaido's chief administrative officer, said there was little involvement of the district authorities from the initial stages of the project and this resulted in some errors by the contractor.

Lt. Gen. Elwelu was shocked to find that equipment that the Government had spent more than shs5b is redundant but promised to forward the challenges to the relevant authorities so that they are made functional.

The institute sitting on 58 acres, offers seven national certificate courses comprising agriculture production, agri-business and agro-processing, motor vehicle, electrical installation, building, woodwork technology and fashion and design.