HERE IS FULL COPY OF THE PETITION FILED TO THE PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA OVER CONTINUOUS ELECTRICITY BLACKOUT IN WESTNILE REGION.

TO: THE RT.HON SPEAKER,

PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA.

PETITIONINING THE SPEAKER OF THE PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA ON THE CONNECTIVITY OF WESTNILE TO THE NATIONAL GRID

Date: 28th July 2022

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Introduction

This petition is presented to the Speaker of the 11th Parliament by The Citizens Action for Improved public service delivery in West Nile (CAIPS), a nonpartisan citizen’s coalition with a membership of over three hundred individuals across West Nile. The Petitioners strive broadly for service delivery in West Nile and in particular expediting the process of connecting West Nile to the National grid, advocating for affordable and reliable power and holding accountable WENRECO and Electomaxx for non-fulfillment of their contractual obligation leading to lack of industrialization, poverty, loss of lives and livelihoods, environmental degradation and insecurity in West Nile sub-region.

Problem Statement 

In 1995, Uganda promulgated a new Constitution (as amended). Article 8A of the Constitution, provides that Uganda shall be governed based on principles of National interest and common good enshrined in the national objectives and directive principles of state policy. Of specific interest are the following objectives: firstly, Objective XXVII (III) (27) (3), which provides that the state is mandated to promote and implement energy policies that will ensure that people’s basic needs and those of environmental preservation are met. Second, Objective IX, (9) which provides that the state shall facilitate rapid and equitable development and encourage private initiative, third, Objective XIV, (19) which provides that the state shall endeavour to fulfil the fundamental rights of all Ugandans to social justice and economic development. 

To achieve the Constitutional Directives, the goals for its National Development plans, its Vision 2040 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Uganda enacted its Electricity Act in 1999,  (as Amended by the 2022 Act). In 2002, Uganda developed and passed its Energy Policy (EPU).  Uganda’s Energy Policy was passed not only to sustain the economic growth the Country had achieved since 1986 but also to ensure widespread access to affordable modern energy with the main policy goal “to meet the energy needs of the population for social and economic development in an environmentally sustainable manner.  The policy is supported by sub-polices as the Renewable Energy Policy of 2007 and the National Oil and Gas Policy of 2008.

The energy needs of the population of West Nilers for social economic development in an environmentally sustainable manner has never been met from the year 2002 to-date when the energy policy was passed. West Nile sub-region has never benefited from the Constitutional imperatives nor the Energy Policy fundamentally because it has never been connected to the National Grid. To address the acute shortage of power in the region, a concession for the generation, distribution, and sale of electricity in West Nile was awarded to the West Nile Rural Electrification Company (WENRECo) in 2003 for a period of 20 years. Owing to the failure of WENRECo to supply stable, reliable, and affordable power over all these years of concession, The Citizens of West Nile Petitioned the 10th Parliament and Government undertook to connect West Nile to the National grid by September 2022 and to address the short-term power issue, Electromax was introduced. Instead, the power situation worsened. Both companies have succeeded in generating, distributing, and selling darkness in West Nile Sub-region as a result, the sub-region has never had a reliable, stable, and affordable power. Instead, West Nile has endured energy poverty. This has led to a sad energy mix where locals have relied on wood fuel, lighting using dry grass, use of charcoal with a concomitant effect of untold environmental degradation. 

To exacerbate this issue some parts of the subregion for instance, Lower Madi, and Obongi Districts have never witnessed the presence or sight of even one idle single pole for electricity. As regards rural electrification, the line stops at Yumbe, instead of the same being extended all the way to Moyo. The project has stalled as transformers for the extensions have not been procured. Major Current electrification works have likewise stalled, and lines have never been commissioned and a crisis of a white elephant proportion is in the making.  Even the small power connected from the National grid to Adjumani and Moyo covers the towns and does not cover most of the sub-counties let alone the parishes in these two districts. The past couple of weeks has even been more bizarre as the sub-region has been subsumed into total darkness with an average supply of four hours of power every day. On the 13th September 2021, while in Arua city, the state minister for Energy Hon. Sidronius Opolot Osakai re-affirmed publicly while in Arua City that West Nile would be connected to the National Grid by September 2022 and its ominously clear that this will not happen. 

Apart from this, the country adopted a robust industrialization policy leave alone the Parish Model development. Under the National Industrial Policy of 2008 , objective 3 underpinned industrial development as an integral and important part of the Governments development strategy through creation of industrial parks. West Nile by virtue of its geographical location bordering three vast hinterlands of Eastern DRC, Congo Brazavile (which is a mere 700 Miles from Vura custom point in Arua District), and South Sudan would have been the first region to benefit from Governments industrial policy.  Indeed, we have idle and unused Industrial parks in Arua City, Koboko, Yumber etc.

 

Impact of lack of reliable, stable and affordable power.

As a result of failure to be connected to the National grid and failure by Wenreco and Electromax to offer reliable, stable and affordable power, the people of West Nile have been deprived of their right to enjoy energy policies that will ensure that their basic needs and those of environmental preservation are met, more importantly, they have been denied enjoyment of their geographical location to become the number one industrial hub in East Africa. Prior efforts to industrialise the region has been ‘dead on arrival’ as most factories and industries established have collapsed or relocated to Kampala and other parts of the country due to lack of power as demonstrated below.

1. Collapse of Local Industries. 

• West Nile Distilling Company conceived in 1972 finally took off in Arua city in 1989. The spirits and gins produced by this company was popular in Uganda. The factory was a poster child for early development in Uganda, it provided employment for hundreds of youths and women. Due to lack of power, the same has been relocated to Lungujja in Kampala.

• Arua Foam (a mattress and beddings company) established by the Nile Coach group of Companies, which employed several youths and women and whose products were exported to DRC and Southern Sudan thereby earning foreign exchange closed shop before its first anniversary due to lack of power.

• A fruit processing company in Manibe, Arua City in which billions were invested and a mineral water plant at Kuluva in Arua District had to close shop due to lack of power and several small businesses, running on electricity such as saloons, restaurants, bars, supermarkets, furniture, and welding workshops, which employ majority of the youth have closed shop owing to lack of electricity. All this has led to loss of direct employment opportunities, and employment opportunities in the various value chain and led to loss of taxes for the Government.

2. Health. Many patients, expectant mothers and those in intensive care have died due to power outages. Moreover, the health facilities do not have reliable alternative power sources to run the equipment. Out of the over 80 Sub counties in West Nile, less than 10 are connected to the small network of Wenreco/Electromax and yet these are the homes of health centres. Majority of health Centres in West Nile have no power.

3. Education

Unlike other parts of the country, the power outages have disrupted learning for many school going students and pupils who can no longer study over night due to constant outages. Moreover, the cost of internet which is 50 shillings in Other parts of the country per hour is 600 shillings hour in West Nile due to lack of power. As a amongst others lack of power, Educational standards in the past decade in West Nile have not only plummeted but drastically deteriorated coupled with the high rate of school drop out in the region. For example, in the 2019 Primary Leaving Examinations released by the Uganda National Examinations Board, the whole of West Nile as a region with nine districts had 1,227 candidates who got division one (first grade). A breakdown of the said performance was as follows, Zombo-35, Pakwach-46, Maracha-60, Moyo-63, Nebbi-67, Yumbe-82, Koboko-181, Adjumani-190 and Arua (then which had the Present Arua District of Vura County, Ayivu and the Present Terego District)-503. At the same examination sitting, other districts in Uganda performed as indicated, Lira- 1,030, Kasese -1,368, Bushenyi - 1,385, Kabale -1,532, Masaka-2,053, Mbarara-2,844, Wakiso 11, 614.

4. Environmental Degradation/Poverty; As a result of reliance on wood fuel, charcoal, grass lighting, the Environment of West Nile has been degraded and this and other factor has resulted into untold suffering of the people and abject poverty,

5. Security. Security in West Nile remains fragile with criminals taking advantage of the darkness to attack individuals and businesses. As a result, so many locals have lost their lives and property.

 Our Prayers:

1. We pray that you direct the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development together with the Electricity Regulatory Authority to accelerate the Connection of West Nile to the National Grid.

2. The Electricity Regulatory Authority has advertised for renewal and modification of licences of WENRECO, which is managing power supply in West Nile. We strongly recommend non-renewal and/or termination of the contracts of WENRECO and Electro Maxx for poor contract performance and service delivery.

3. In the alternative but without prejudice to (2) above, as a short-term measure, The Minister of Energy and Mineral Development should urgently address the fuel crisis and ensure stable, affordable and reliable supply of electricity to the people of West Nile. We suggest that out of the Electricity Fund, 10 billion Shillings should be used for purchasing fuel and this should be administered by the UEDCL which should contract local fuel suppliers as opposed to giving this money to Wenreco/Electromax.

4. We also pray that any further dealings Government has with Nyagak/WENREco/Electromax etc should be for these companies to supply power to the National Grid and not to West Nile. We are comfortable with being connected to the National Grid as opposed to Nyagak.

5. We pray that you direct that the network in West Nile sub-region should be deepened in the rural areas to cover all the parishes in West Nile and also upgrade the existing network to enable power once evacuated to be distributed to West Nile.

6. The high tariffs of power to West Nile should be addressed.

7. We also pray that you implore Government to invest in productive use of power and alternative technologies to biomass.

8. Finally, we pray that parliament commissions a committee to undertake a fact-finding mission with the participation of the people of West Nile to generate evidence to affirm the prayers above.

Lead Petitioners

Mercy Munduru (Lawyer)

Caleb Alaka (Advocate)

Ejiku Robert (Business Man)

Annet Badda (Advocate)

Edoma Dan (Fintech)

Tabitha Agazu

Lobe Paul (Auditor)

Kennedy Oluma (Business man)

This Petition has been signed by some petitioners who appended their signatures and also on-line where signatures do not appear and Enclosed is the list of the co-petitioners.

Signed: 

Members of ‘The Citizen Actions for Improved Public Service Delivery in Westnile

LIST OF CITIZENS ADVOCATING FOR THE CONNECTION OF WESTNILE TO THE NATIONAL GRID

1. N/A Name District

2. 1. Munduru Mercy Grace Koboko

3. 2. Caleb Alaka Terego

4. Aloro Zuberi Koboko

5. Joseph Achie Maracha

6. Daniel Ogavu Terego

7. Rwothongeyo Emmanuel Pakwach

8. Fred Frank Kumakech Zombo

9. Chandi Dickens Ayivu,Arua City

10. Tabitha Agazu. Arua District

11. Milton Peace Okweda Zombo

12. Nam Eddy Pakwach

13. Nyakuni Benjamin Arua City

14. Benon Keith Robe Koboko

15. Bagean Mary Christine Arua City

16. Opia Robert Arua City

17. Drabe Godfrey-Arua City

18. Okuni Yashir Terego

19. Endraa Lydia Terego

20. Candia Micheal Koboko

21. Patrick Munguleni Nyalijo Ma'di Okollo

22. Gatre Patrick Maracha

23. Daisy Patience Bandaru Maracha

24. Caroline Paparu Zombo

25. Okuni Ismail Koboko

26. Ariaka Ashiraf Adrama Madi-Okollo

27. Lobidra Charles Koboko

28. Adrongachi Steven Moro Zombo

29. Leinika Kizito Maracha

30. Dickson Matua Maracha

31. Ajuma Victor  Terego

32. Ogama Dickens Nebbi

33. Ayikobua Philliam Maracha

34. Aiga Jamal Yumbe

35. Adrapi Stephen Arua

36. Guma Rhône Arua City

37. Diane Grace Arua City

38. Afeku Alfred Maracha

39. Tom Butele Adrabo Maracha

40. Driliga Farouk Koboko

41. Enzama Joet Maracha

42. Ayikobua Godfrey Koboko

43. Oguzu Vincent Arua City

44. Dr E’yoki Godwin Maracha

45. Onen Okello Alfred Nebbi

46. Nyakuni Peter Terego

47. Rogers Aliga Arua

48. Martin Cadribo                Terego   

49. Clara Ejuru Zombo

50. Toko Badru Tok Arua City

51. Abale Sulaiman Koboko

52. Chief Benard Ejidri Maracha

53. Diana Santiago Maracha

54. Sharon Katho Zombo

55. Gilbert Adibo Arua City

56. Mildred Ayikoru Arua City

57. Alioma Sadiki Yasin Arua City

58. Sharon Candiru Arua City

59. Mighty Fred Arua City

60. Trust Ronald Kassujja Arua City

61. Asianzu Brenda Arua City

62. Dramani Rhonee Ayuku Maracha

63. Feni Peace Dema Arua District

64. Adibaru Philliam Yikii Madi Okollo District

65. Atiku Bran Koboko

66. Giramia Joan Pakwach

67. Sunday Etrima Olishe Terego

68. Kennedy Eguma Shilling Arua City

69. Bernard Titre Maracha

70. Sabasana Edison Shaban Arua City

71. Bonny Andama Arua City

72. Princila Mutoni Arua

73. Siam Simon  Adjumani

74. Swaleh Harunah Koboko

75. Geofrey Angudubo Arumadri Arua City

76. Yiki Mark Arua City

77. Adima Robert Arua City

78. Aduvuku Issa Arua City

79. Candia Aldo Arua City

80. Imran Ejotre Yumbe District

81. Pariyo Wilfred Arua City

82. Mungufeni Peter Arua City

83. Asea Jacob Arua City

84. Anguzu Denis Fenhas- Arua City

85. Afayo Keneth Arua City

86. Ondoga Benson Pakwach

87. Joma Gasper Arua City

88. Catherine Faida Maracha

89. Nezidgyayo Moses Pakwach

90. Asiku Morish Terego

91. Hon Tabu Arua City

92. Aleni Brian Nyakuta Arua City

93. Drate Yassin Jaffar Arua City

94. Data Charles Koboko

95. Kajik Fred Pakwach District

96. Bako Jackline Koboko

97. Abuko Gladys Maracha

98. Lawrence Wisely Dratema Maracha

99. Masia Angela Terego

100. Teeto Waigoson Arua City

101. Emazu Kenneth Frank Maracha

102. Ojoatre James Maracha

103. Jimmy Madira Madi Okollo

104. Adiru Susan Arua City

105. Nyakuezaibo Ezra Arua City

106. Ismail Adole Yumbe

107. Munduru Gloria Terego

108. Nahwera Patience Arua City

109. Acan Hawa Zombo

110. Dr. Mungunira Jimmy Maracha

111. Aloro Onsons Arua City

112. Anguzu Fred Arua District

113. Johnpaul Opio Nebbi

114. Draleki Junior Francis Maracha

115. Obeti Tom Adraka Terego

116. Isabu Innocent Arua

117. Oloya William Arua City

118. Jimmy Adriko Arua City

119. Bako Shamim  Arua City

120. James Alemi Koboko

121. Judith Olama Pachuwegi Nebbi

122. Joel Lutwa Koboko

123. Add Bayo Felix Vurra(Arua)

124. Hamza Jurua Madi Okollo

125. Atiku Mansur  Yumbe District

126. Levy Ayikobua Arua City

127. Etoma Isaac Vurra( Arua District)

128. Amaku Ben Amaa Terego

129. Rwothnga Johannes Zombo

130. Isaac Eyotia Nyalijo Madi Okollo

131. Amaniyo Robert Arua District