Museveni Launches Bujagali Power Project

Museveni Launches Bujagali Power ProjectBy Alfred Wasike PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has launched the construction of the 250MW US$550m hydro-power plant at Bujagali, on the River Nile. He warned detractors who block Uganda’s development. The dam is Africa’s largest private sector investment.Museveni drove a yellow bulldozer to break ground for the project which had stalled for seven years. An irate Museveni rejected a written speech at Kikubamutwe village and accused some MPs of obstructing the project. “This is an occasion of real shame. But I also hope that it is an occasion of genuine repentance.“I am very ashamed that some of the MPs wrote anonymous letters to the World Bank to stop this project. Can you imagine the MPs you sent to Parliament block development? We know them. Don’t be a disgrace to Africa,” he said. The new dam will raise Uganda’s power production to more than 500MW and is to be built by AES Nile Power Ltd, a subsidiary of AES Worldwide based in the USA. The funding is from the World Bank, the African Development Bank and donors. It starts operating in 2005. Museveni said although Uganda ranks third in electricity potential in Africa after Ethiopia and the DR Congo, “experts say we need 150 dams of this type to satisfy our energy needs.”“I should have come here to commission it and not to begin its construction. It should have taken two years and not seven years. Is that something to be happy about? Tell me. This circus must stop. Stop making fools of yourselves. There is no risk with this project,” he said.He urged the World Bank to stop listening to “shallow opinions” from detractors. “The World Bank should stop listening to people who are not serious. It listens to a lot of nonsense.”Museveni said he was consulting the Attorney General on what action to take against those who sabotage Uganda’s development, adding that Bujagali is the third big electricity project in his government. He said, “We rehabilitated your little power station (Owen Falls) built by Britain from a mere 60MW to 180MW.“All these leaders (points at former president Godfrey Binaisa) were in office all these years. Sorry, Binaisa was in office for only nine months and did not have time.” He said he would like to arrest Kampala mayor Ssebaana Kizito for “keeping a stinking city” but the Constitution prohibits him. Energy minister Syda Bbumba said the entry of AES into Uganda’s power sector was a “deliberate Government policy to improve the quality of life.”AES chief Mark Fitzpatrick wept. “This is an important milestone for us, Uganda and Africa. Your strength of leadership allowed us to get to this point despite the many challenges.” He said his organisation has 140 large power projects in 40 countries.Guests included Busoga Kyabazinga Henry Wako Muloki and diplomats accredited to Uganda.Ends