By Brian Mugenyi
mugenyijj@gmail.com

MASAKA, UGANDA — For nearly three decades, many rural communities in Greater Masaka have lived without access to electricity, trapped in what residents describe as a “long night of development delay” where daily life slowed down with every sunset.

Since 1996, several villages in Kyanamukaka and surrounding areas have remained outside the national power grid. Trading centres closed early, students revised books under dim paraffin lamps, and small businesses struggled to expand in an environment where lack of electricity became both an economic and social barrier.

Today, however, a government-led rural electrification programme is beginning to reshape that reality, offering renewed hope to thousands of households that have waited years for connection to the national grid.

The intervention is being coordinated through the Office of Vice President Emeritus Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development headed by Ruth Nankabirwa under the broader infrastructure and rural transformation agenda of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

Government officials say the electrification drive forms part of Uganda’s wider strategy to ensure that rural communities are integrated into the country’s industrialisation and socio-economic development plans.

KYANAMUKAKA MEETING SIGNALS NEW MOMENT

A key milestone in the mobilisation process was recorded on May 3, 2026, during a community engagement meeting held at Kyanamukaka Town Council where government representatives met local leaders, farmers, youth groups, and residents to discuss progress on the planned electricity rollout.

The meeting attracted significant public participation and was viewed by many residents as a turning point in bridging the gap between government policy and grassroots implementation.

Technical teams from the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited have already started conducting feasibility studies in Kyanamukaka and neighbouring villages, assessing possible routes for power lines and identifying priority connection points.

For residents who have spent decades without electricity, the sight of engineers surveying their villages has become a powerful symbol of long-awaited change.

SSEKANDI OFFICE LEADS MOBILISATION

Speaking during the meeting, Oscar Mutebi, Personal Assistant to Ssekandi, said the programme was designed to address long-standing development inequalities affecting rural communities.

“Since 1996, many of these communities have remained in darkness. This intervention is about correcting that historical imbalance and ensuring development reaches every household,” Mutebi said.

He described electricity as the backbone of modern economic transformation, arguing that communities cannot fully participate in national development without reliable power access.

“A village without electricity is like a body without blood circulation. Everything slows down,” he added.

Mutebi explained that the Office of the President was working closely with the Ministry of Energy to ensure electrification is implemented alongside other rural development programmes.

NANKABIRWA LINKS ELECTRICITY TO STABILITY

Minister Ruth Nankabirwa reaffirmed government commitment to expanding electricity access in rural Uganda, describing electrification as both an economic and social stabilisation tool.

“When an area has electricity, there is always peace and sanity in the community,” Nankabirwa said.

According to the minister, electricity improves security, supports productivity, strengthens social services, and creates organised economic activity within rural communities.

Her remarks reflected government’s broader position that electricity access is essential not only for development but also for improving social welfare and reducing poverty levels.

ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION EXPECTED

Residents believe the electrification programme could unlock major economic opportunities across the region, particularly in agriculture and small-scale enterprises.

Coffee farmers and dairy producers expect improved value addition through milk cooling, grain milling, refrigeration, and processing services once electricity becomes available.

Youth groups also anticipate new business opportunities in welding, salons, internet services, entertainment, and small manufacturing.

One local leader, Mr. Kakande, described electricity as “a key that opens doors that have remained locked for generations.”

Mutebi further revealed that the electrification programme would complement planned livestock distribution initiatives aimed at increasing household incomes.

“We are also planning to distribute cows to farmers to boost productivity. Electricity and livestock together will strengthen household incomes and transform livelihoods,” he said.

A NEW DAWN FOR RURAL MASAKA

In a message delivered through his office, Ssekandi called for development programmes that create visible impact in people’s daily lives.

“Development must not remain on paper — it must be seen in homes, schools, hospitals and businesses,” he stated.

As Uganda advances its national transformation agenda, the electrification programme in Masaka is emerging as a practical example of policy translating into grassroots development.

For communities that have lived without power since 1996, the message is increasingly clear: after years of darkness, the light of transformation is finally beginning to shine.

The post SPECIAL REPORT: From Darkness to Light — Ssekandi Office, Museveni Government Drive Rural Electricity Revolution in Masaka appeared first on Watchdog Uganda.