The Ugandan government revealed that it plans to borrow $287 million from Exim Bank China to boost its power supply. “As government we are in final discussion with the bank to ensure that the funds are secured to finance rural electrification programme in the country,” said David Bahati (picture), minister of finance.

These funds should help provide power to 287 communities, situated in the country’s remote areas and the Karamoja and West Nile counties. In fact, though the country has an electrification rate of 24%, according to authorities, it is extremely low in the regions that are far from the capital, due to the small size of the grid. This rate stands respectively at 0.6% and 3.3% in the regions of Karamoja and West Nile, forcing their populations to use kerosene, which is expensive and harmful to their health, as a source of light.

Uganda, it must be noted, said it aims to achieve a 100% electrification rate by 2040.

Gwladys Johnson