An assessment of rural electrification in Uganda: A case study of Kamuli District

Abstract

The major objective of the study was to asses rural electrification in Uganda, with specific reference to Kamuli District. The specific objectives were to find out whether the current rural electrification management and organizational framework for managing the supply of electricity is viable, to asses the economic and financial justification of the provision of electricity to rural areas and to identify limitations to the productive use of electricity. Descriptive methodology was used involving the use of a cross-sectional research design, both qualitative and quantitative research methods including interviews on a self-administered questionnaire. The study found out that out of the 92 respondents who returned their study questionnaires, it was evident that the current rural electrification management and organisational framework is not sufficiently addressing the need of rural electrification in the country, the findings also revealed that since Electricity services lead to technological change in existing enterprises and contributes to the establishment of small enterprises, Government and other players responsible for rural electrification should adopt innovative approaches to financing and implementing the programmes. The study further showed that access to electricity stimulates the penetration of refrigerators, which in turn improve the capacity to preserve foodstuffs, generates secondary societal benefits where rural people would show less inclination to migrate to urban areas, and electric lighting enables rural people to undertake a range of additional economic activities in the evening hours at home and in public facilities such as schools and community building. Poor access of low income groups to electricity coupled with lack of technical knowhow and low innovation were found to be major limitations to productive use of electricity.