President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has been joined by his Tanzanian counterpart, Samia Suluhu, in Isingiro District.
President Suluhu arrived in Uganda and was received by President Museveni on Thursday, May 25, 2023, before engaging in the launch of the Kikagati-Murongo Hydro-power Plant.
“I welcome my sister and counterpart, H.E. Suluhu Samia of the United Republic of Tanzania, who has joined me to commission the Kikagati-Murongo Hydro-power Plant in Isingiro District,” said President Museveni.
During the commissioning, the President asked the developers to reduce cost of power for industrial operations from 8cents to 5cents to encourage more consumption.
He thanked the government of Tanzania for supporting the program and also authorized that Tanzania be allocated more power if they so wish since it won’t be free.
President Museveni said the project initiated in 2005 somehow stalled due to delay to sanction permission to use the river by the counterpart government.
“Improve on power supply availability and reliability within Isingiro district and if this power is not consumed in the district, there is a line that connects this power plant to Mbarara Sub-station. The same is true on the Tanzanian side,” said Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa.
Government of Uganda (GOU) and the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania (URT) entered into a Bilateral Agreement (BA) on the 14th of July 2015 to facilitate the development of this trans-boundary Kikagati Murongo Hydropower Project and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the Project by both Partner States.
The Project was developed by Kikagati Power Company Limited (KPCL), a subsidiary of Berkeley Energy Limited incorporated in Uganda and Tanzania; with Voith Hydro and PAC SPA as the Electro Mechanical (EM) and Civil Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) Contractors respectively.
