A government investigation into the Isimba Hydroelectric Power Station has revealed alarming structural flaws, raising fears that the Shs 2 trillion project could face catastrophic failure if urgent action is not taken.
The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Beti Kamya, who led a fact-finding mission to the dam recently, expressed deep concern over the state of the facility.
“I can see that there are some quality issues, especially with the structure. To me, it looks like a very old structure, instead of one that is just about five years old,” Kamya said after touring the site.
The probe follows years of mounting public concern over the dam’s accountability and engineering integrity. Built by China International Water and Electric Corporation (CIWE) and managed by Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL), Isimba Dam is a critical part of Uganda’s energy infrastructure, producing 183 MW.
However, UEGCL officials revealed that the spillway, a vital safety feature designed to release floodwaters, suffered severe damage during flooding in August 2022.
Originally designed to discharge 4,500 cubic meters of water per second, the spillway can now handle less than 40% of its intended capacity. Officials warned that opening the spillway gates beyond that threshold causes dangerous vibrations across the dam structure.
There are growing fears that a major flood event could “wash away” the dam’s powerhouse and other downstream structures if the issues remain unresolved.
UEGCL has urged the government to expedite repairs, warning that further delays could trigger nationwide blackouts and devastate communities near the dam in Kayunga District.
Kamya’s office is expected to release a full report with recommendations for action within the next month.
In 2019, then Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga was quoted by the press during a parliamentary session saying, “By the way, at some stage, Shs 24bn had been chewed, Shs 24bn for that bridge had been eaten. 24! Hon members, I have been following that matter for several months, the money was eaten in the ministry of Energy, Shs 24bn…I have written to the president. I gave him the names of the ‘eaters’. I have been waiting since March. I have not seen any action.” said Kadaga.
Isimba dam was constructed at a whopping $568 million (about Shs 2 trillion) per cent with more than 85 per cent coming as a loan from China’s Exim Bank.