MP Bisaso Urges Prioritisation of Kassanda Electrification, Especially Mining Areas
KASSANDA – Kassanda County South Member of Parliament Abdul Bisaso has pressed the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development to urgently fast-track rural electrification in his constituency, warning that severe power deficits are choking economic growth in key mining hubs.
Raising the matter on the floor of Parliament during a debate on the government’s rural electrification roadmap, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) lawmaker expressed dismay that critical energy infrastructure remains dormant while vast swathes of the district sit in darkness.
Bisaso highlighted a glaring instance of stalled government infrastructure: a long-completed power transmission line connecting Kassanda to Karwana that has gathered dust for nearly a decade without being energized.
“Whereas many places in Kassanda South don’t have power, there is already a line built by the government from Kassanda to Karwana,” Bisaso told the House. “It has sat uncommissioned for the last seven years and beyond.”
Beyond general domestic power needs, the legislator underscored the immense industrial importance of Kassanda’s natural resources. The district hosts some of Uganda’s largest mineral deposits and active mining grounds, yet artisanal and commercial operators continue to face power constraints that limit productivity and suppress output.
Connecting the mining sector to the national grid, Bisaso argued, would yield direct fiscal dividends for the central government through expanded industrialization and enhanced tax revenues.
“Power is essential in mining operations, and mining generates substantial revenue for the government,” Bisaso emphasized. “I request that the Minister prioritises the mining zones of Kassanda so that the government can earn more revenue.”
Bisaso’s appeal came during the 18th sitting of the 1st meeting of the 1st session of the 12th Parliament of Uganda, chaired by the Speaker.
Rural electrification remains a core pillar of Uganda’s national development strategy aimed at accelerating agro-processing, industrial value addition, and local job creation. However, project execution delays and uncommissioned transmission lines continue to draw sharp criticism from rural legislators who argue that incomplete grid extensions leave high-potential economic hubs stranded without reliable energy.
As Parliament pushes for accountability in the energy sector, Kassanda leaders remain firm: commissioning the Karwana power line and extending grid access to mineral-rich areas must move from ministerial statements to immediate execution on the ground.
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