A section of Ugandan locals across the West Nile subregion who converged
on the Gulf Ground during President Yoweri Moseveni’s three-day visit,
booed the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa, for lying over the persistent electricity crisis in the sub-region.
During her statement on Tuesday, Nankabirwa was stopped by hecklers when she mentioned that the area would soon be linked to the national grid, adding that the 11 power megawatts needed at the moment would even be in excess.
The statement made many people angry at the event, especially supporters of the government’s National Resistance Movement (NRM), who booed her.
Many people at the occasion who believed the statement was a lie, said
they were sick of having to wait for a consistent and dependable electricity supply.
“The suffering is soon coming to an end because we are building the
infrastructure where power will be delivered to the people of the West
Nile,” she said as the people continued to jeer and boo her.
“The blind can even go and see the substations and pylons we are
building at Muni and Nebbi that will bring power to this region.
“Imagine some people cannot believe it. This is not theory, and I’m talking practically,” she said.
“I beg for your patience that we shall smile,” she continued amidst heckles.
The minister was creating an awareness for the Parish Development Model (PDM) and other poverty-alleviation initiatives of the government, which has been in power for over 40 years.