Bukoba — KAGERA: ON May 25th of this year, an event was held in Isingiro District on the Ugandan side, where President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan joined her Ugandan counterpart, President Yoweri Museveni, to launch the Kikagati-Murongo Hydroelectric Power Project.
This project adds 115 GWh of electricity per year to the power grids of both countries.
During the launch, President Dr Samia assured Tanzanians that efforts were in the final stages to link more areas to the national grid and appealed to investors to establish industries.
"Tanzania is an attractive country for large investments. The nation boasts reliable electricity following the near completion of several projects, including the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project that will generate about 2,115 MW," she said.
She emphasised the need to enhance regional cooperation through the implementation of sustainable development projects for the socio-economic development of their countries.
President Samia hailed President Museveni for the invitation to launch the project together.
"We express our sincere appreciation. You could have done it alone with your people. I am proud of your vision... congratulations. Also, I congratulate the contractor and all those who have made this project possible," she said.
The Head of State paid tribute to the fraternal relations between the two countries, which continue to grow day by day.
"The project will cement our relationship on trade, investment, and social engagement. Electricity will improve security in general, reduce inequality between urban and rural settings, and foster micro-economic development," she said.
President Samia assured that Tanzania remains committed to cementing friendship and ensuring the Musongozi Power Project is implemented.
She appealed to President Museveni to allow teams from both parties to discuss and come up with recommendations on how to implement the project.
"Shortage of electricity in these countries and indeed the entire Nile Basin region has resulted in an underdeveloped manufacturing sector, hence limited options for business development necessary for income, reducing dependency on toxic fuel and limited opportunities for modernising and improving
the quality of key infrastructure, including healthcare, water supply and other social services," she said.
President Museveni, on the other hand, hailed President Samia for the historic visit, saying that this was the first time Tanzania's President visited that part of Uganda.
He hailed Tanzania for aiding Uganda to win the 1978/79 War against Idi Amin. "This is where I was born, 40 miles from here. I have grown up here, herded cows, and fought three wars here.
"I am glad to receive you here. We are beginning to utilize the potential of River "Kagyera," but Kagera residents call it Kagera," he said amid applause.
President Samia and President Museveni also commissioned the Kikagati Power Company (KPC), which sells its output to Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL).
The Ugandan state-owned company, which is responsible for electricity distribution, sells part of this energy to Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO).
The Kikagati-Murongo Hydroelectric Power Project required an investment of 87 million US dollars to implement. The work was financed through loans taken by KPC from the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) and the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF) of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), a multi-donor organisation with members from seven European countries and the World Bank Group.
The project has also received support from the Africa Renewable Energy Fund (AREF), a 205 million US dollar fund managed by Berkeley Energy. All the loans will be repaid over 16 years, starting from the commissioning date of the Kikagati hydropower plant.
The Kikagati Hydroelectric Power Project is a low-head, run-of-river 16 MW Hydroelectric Project on River Kagera. Its dam is located on the Kagera River, the largest tributary of Lake Victoria, which serves as the natural border between Tanzania and Uganda.
The dam is 8.5m high and 300m long, forming a reservoir on 4 km2 of Tanzanian territory. The electricity produced by the hydroelectric plant is evacuated via a 33kV line.
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Electricity power is a tool that Tanzanians should utilise by establishing medium and large industries.
The government is determined to ensure that by 2025, all villages in the country are connected with electricity.
Without an efficient industrial base, the country's economy can hardly develop and create job opportunities.
Industries have great potential for creating jobs and attracting capital, skills and knowledge.
Electricity is one of the essential resources that have fostered development in various sectors, including industry, business, health, and education.
Industries that produce goods for mass consumption, such as clothes, textiles, and edibles, are highly encouraged.
The government has embraced industrialisation as part of the solution for unemployment among the youth, as the industrialisation drive is expected to create thousands of job opportunities across the country.
