The Parliament of Uganda will on Wednesday resolve on a matter by the government to borrow up to Euro 168,976,354, approximately seven hundred thirty-four billion two hundred two million two hundred fifty-eight thousand shillings, for the development of solar-powered irrigation systems.
The Parliament issued the notice for the motion on its official X (formerly Twitter) page on Tuesday.
”Motion for a resolution of Parliament to authorise government to borrow up to EUR 168,976,354 from the UK Export Finance (UKEF) and Citi Bank for the development of the solar-powered irrigation systems project phase II.” The notice reads.
The motion to be presented by the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development will last 30 minutes.
This is item four on the order paper for the 4th sitting of the first meeting of the first session of the 12th Parliament, which will commence at 10:00 am.
Other items on the order paper include prayers, administration of oaths, communication from the chair and adjournment.
The project
According to information from the Ministry of Water and Environment, the Solar-Powered Water Supply and Irrigation Systems Project is a major initiative commissioned by the Government of Uganda (GoU) through the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE).
It involves Nexus Green Ltd (UK) as the contractor and is funded by UK Export Finance. This project aims to significantly enhance water access for domestic use and irrigation across Uganda.
The core objective is to increase water supply coverage countrywide for domestic use and support irrigation for improved agricultural productivity.
The project, which promotes the utilisation of solar energy to power water systems, seeks to address water scarcity, mitigate drought-induced food insecurity, and contribute to Uganda’s climate resilience and food security.
The first phase of the project began around 2021 and was anticipated to be completed by 2024, running over approximately three years.
It involves the development of a large number of sites (initially aimed for 687, with some reports mentioning up to 920).
The project is implemented countrywide across Uganda, targeting numerous districts to increase water supply coverage.
Targeted beneficiaries include rural communities and farmers by providing water for irrigation to boost agricultural production.
Others are women and youth who are often disproportionately burdened with water collection and are expected to benefit economically from increased agricultural output, as well as communities affected by water scarcity and drought through directly addressing water access challenges.
The project involves designing integrated water supply systems, including source development, transmission pipelines, and distribution networks; solar-powered pumping infrastructure; installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to generate electricity; deployment of water pumps; construction of storage tanks for collected water; and setting up distribution networks to deliver water for domestic use.