MPs Question Slow Electricity Connections Amid Push for Clean Energy Transition

Uganda's transition to clean energy is facing questions over limited electricity access, with Members of Parliament questioning how government intends to eliminate dependence on charcoal and firewood when millions of households still lack reliable alternatives. The concerns emerged as the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development revealed that only 290,000 out of a targeted 1,073,500 grid connections have been achieved under the Electricity Access Scale-Up Project. Energy officials led by State Minister for Energy and Mineral Development Phiona Nyamutoro appeared before Parliament's Committee on National Economy to present an implementation report on externally funded projects. The Electricity Access Scale-Up Project attracted scrutiny, with legislators questioning the slow progress in last-mile electricity connections and its implications for the country's clean cooking ambitions.