Karuma project to buy cement and steel locally

Feb 08, 2017

President Yoweri Museveni recently directed companies working on projects in Uganda should buy materials locally as long as they meet the specifications required.

Deng Changyi, the acting project manager Sinohydro Corporation the company constructing the 600mw Karuma Hydro Power Project has disclosed that efforts have been made to increase local content in the project by buying cement and steel made in Uganda.

President Yoweri Museveni recently directed companies working on projects in Uganda should buy materials locally as long as they meet the specifications required.  The directive is line with the ministry of trade and industry  policy of ‘Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU)'.

Many local suppliers have complained of their products and services not being bought as some companies prefer to buy their products from abroad. Karuma also buys food stuffs like meat, chicken, fish and fruits such as water melon, sweet bananas from the locals.

Changyi said they have signed purchase agreements for cement with Kampala Cement, Hima Cement and for steel products from Roofings Limited. About 4,000 Ugandans are employed at the $1.7b (sh6 trillion project. The project is expected to be commissioned in December next year and will increase electricity supply necessary to power big industries. It is close to 50% completion.

Changyi explained that the contractor and UEGCL partnered in finding local and international experts to find a solution to the cracks that led to stoppage and delay in the construction progress and to resume the construction after three months. 

"Key inputs from the experts included reducing the temperature of the concrete during placement as well as improvement on the placement methods, which demanded the use of agitator trucks. A cooling plant has been installed on site to ensure concrete is placed at 20 degrees Celsius," Changyi revealed.

Eng. Proscovia Margaret Njuki, one of the first female board chairpersons in Uganda for the Uganda Electricity Generation Company (UECGL) has expressed her commitment to increase the electricity generation capacity of the country to support industrial growth and meet domestic consumption needs. UECGL is the government agency supervising the construction of hydro power projects in Uganda.

The government has put emphasis on the successful completion of the project by appointing Eng. Dr Badru Kiggundu a former chairperson of the Electoral Commission to chair a special project steering committee to oversee the successful accomplishment of Karuma and the Isimba hydropower (183mw) project. 

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