The Isimba Dam, a Shs2.2 trillion (USD 570 million) project commissioned by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in 2019, is on the verge of collapse due to severe damage.
This dire situation has prompted Members of Parliament to call for the arrest of four Chinese contractors, including Xie Hui and Shawn Zhang, employees of China International Water and Electric Corporation (CIWE), the company responsible for constructing the dam.
The Parliament Committee on Environment and Natural Resources conducted an oversight visit to the 183MW Isimba Hydro Power Plant (HPP) earlier this week, revealing critical structural defects in the plant’s spillway stilling basin.
These defects pose significant dam safety risks, demanding urgent intervention to safeguard public safety and infrastructure integrity.
Key Findings and Concerns
The dam’s spillway is rapidly eroding, threatening its structural integrity, according to Harrison Mutikanga, CEO of Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL).
“During our routine dam safety inspections we discovered the defects of the spillways using divers,” Mutikanga told the Committee.
He noted that over 2,000 people downstream are at risk of losing lives and property if the dam bursts, which would result in a national disaster.
However, CIWE officials failed to explain why they have not repaired the damages on Isimba Dam despite the defect liability period, which was two years, stretching to six years now.
Parliament’s Response
In light of these findings, the legislators summoned CIWE officials to Parliament to explain themselves. However, the officials’ failure to provide satisfactory explanations led to the motion to arrest the Chinese contractors, which was raised by Mukono South MP Fred Kayondo. The contractors were subsequently handed over to the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) for further processing.
Following this development, the Committee decided to adjourn its sitting to a later date, allowing time for consultations with all relevant stakeholders.
This development has cast a spotlight on the Energy Ministry, raising questions about its oversight and management of the project.
As the situation unfolds, one thing is clear: the Isimba Dam saga has far-reaching implications for Uganda’s energy sector, and the government must take swift action to address the concerns and ensure public safety to avoid looming disaster!