16 April 2006
editorial
The casual approach our public officials are taking towards the electricity crisis is a cause for serious concern. It appears that the people in the energy sector are not looking beyond their offices to see the havoc the crisis is wracking on the economy. Otherwise how would one explain the new mess they have introduced in the tender process for generation of an extra 50MW using thermal plants?
Well, a brief reminder is in order here.
This financial year alone, the power crisis is causing a loss of Shs300 billion in the economy. And there are costs, which are not computable. How do you cost deaths during robberies committed by men who can no longer work in workshops that have been rendered useless by lack of power?
The sector managers are not even telling the complete truth of how much hydro-electric power is being generated at Jinja. Is it 150, 100, or 80 MW?
Whatever the case, why is the 'temporary' thermal plant working almost around the clock instead of half a day as was originally expected?
When the thermal plant, which uses expensive fuel is working overtime, where is the extra money for their subsidy coming from?
Now the second thermal power plant we have been anxiously waiting for may not start generating any electricity in the next one and a half years.
One bidder was said to have won the tender. Another bidder cried foul and the Inspector General of Government has halted the process. It does not follow that the process will restart as soon as the IGG gives her ruling.
The disgruntled bidder still has the option of going to court. And unlike presidential election petitions, there is no short deadline within which a tender dispute must be resolved.
Then there is the subsidy to worry about. After a year or so of impressive tax collections, the Uganda Revenue Authority has not been doing too well in the past couple of months. Will it do any better as the economy slumps due to power shortages, in order to generate more cash for the power subsidies?
The casualness with which the Global Fund managers tackled the HIV/Aids, malaria and Tuberculosis crisis is the same the energy sector managers are treating the power crisis. Will we ever learn?
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