SOLVING THE ELECTRICITY ACCESS DILEMMA IN RURAL UGANDA: A CASE STUDY OF SANGA SUB COUNTY AND SANGA TOWN COUNCIL

Abstract

Access to electricity is crucial for community development, particularly in rural areas where electricity is often unreliable or nonexistent. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the electricity sector in Uganda and analyzes the challenges facing rural communities in gaining access to electricity. The paper presents two case studies on Rural Sanga Sub County and Sanga Town Council and examines linkages between electricity access and communities’ strengthening. The study reveals that electricity access significantly improves all indicators of communities strengthening and suggests that electric energy access can be significant for policymakers aimed at improving communities for social transformation. The paper is based on information obtained through site visits, area appraisals, interviews with key informants, and general observation. The challenges facing the electricity sector in Uganda include power theft, insufficient supply, geographic isolation, high infrastructure costs, and market failure. The burden is placed both on the consumer, who must cope with frequent outages and increased tariffs, and the providers, who face difficult financial and infrastructural challenges. This paper contributes to the literature on electrification in developing countries and provides relevant information for policymakers aimed at improving access to electricity in rural communities.