President Yoweri Museveni Tuesday met and held discussions with four officials from Umeme, led by their Board Chairman, Mr. Patrick Bitature, who called on him at State House Entebbe.
Mr. Museveni and his guests discussed the increasing power tariffs levied by the power distributor.
Other members included, Mr. Celestino Babungi the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, Hon. Gerald Ssendaula and Ms. Florence Nsubuga, Chief Operation Officer.
Recently, President Museveni stopped the renewal of the power distributor’s (Umeme) deal and demanded for answers on why consumers are still paying high rates for electricity.
In a letter to the Energy Minister, Hon. Irene Muloni, the President also directed that a cheaper option of modernizing, expanding, transmitting and distribution of power, be found.
He further asked the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Ms. Mulyagonja, to investigate Umeme’s alleged inflated losses and high end user tariffs.
But the President is well aware that kicking out Umeme would set the stage for another long process of seeking an investor to take over power distribution, something that could take more than a year.
A short-term measure as government seeks another investor to carry the burden of power distribution is not yet publicly known.
