Kamwenge: UEDCL blamed over high power costs
KABAHENDA BRIDGET
A row has erupted between maize millers in Kamwenge district and Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) over the high cost of electricity.
The millers accuse UEDCL of sabotaging development citing high power cost beyond their capital and disconnections leading to losses.
They also accuse UEDCL of untimely change of meters without giving clear reasons that have since put their business at a standstill.
Angry maize millers under their umbrella Kamwenge Millers Association stormed the office of the RDC Kamwenge, Geoffrey Mucunguzi and asked him to intervene.
“My two meters were taken without any reason two weeks. After they were returned a bill of Shs 60million was charged. In the two weeks they took the meter I lost maize worth Shs 4million," said one of the millers.
Another said they had given him a bill of Shs 4.8 million yet he had spent a month without power.
Some maize milling factories were found closed after power was disconnected.
Mucunguzi, the RDC, tasked UEDCL to explain the root cause of power irregularities, failure to do so will be treated as economic sabotage.
Amos Okulo, the company's regional manager failed to give a convincing explanation prompting Mucunguzi to give UEDCL a two weeks ultimatum to connect all millers to power.
Okulo told the meeting that the meters were changed following power theft by some grain millers.
He explained that some grain millers were found by- passing the meters while others connived with UEDCL staff to steal power.
UEDCL took over to supply power in Kamwenge district in March 2017 after Ferdsult, an engineering company pulled out.
