Electricity access in Uganda’s slums: multi-stakeholder perspectives from Kampala

Abstract

Uganda’s rapid urbanisation poses service delivery challenges, particularly to the poorest neighbourhoods which are home to over half of the urban population. Only 63% of urban households have access to grid-electricity, and access deficits are most felt in slums despite their proximity to the grid. This study investigated the electricity access challenge in Uganda’s slums and the socio-political issues that shape access, from the perspective of multiple stakeholders. Using mixed methods, eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders and surveys (N = 35) conducted in Nakulabye slum, Kampala. The supply-side barriers identified were low consumption loads in households which makes electricity provision financially unviable for the utility, insecure land tenure and inadequate housing which present practical and safety barriers. High costs and tariffs constrain access, as does poor quality and unreliable supply, and inadequate infrastructure. Regardless, households use electricity beyond simply lighting and phone charging, and a variety of businesses in the slum rely on electricity. The interviews revealed tensions in the priorities of different stakeholder groups, with the regulator striving to balance the interests of the utility, policymakers, and end-users. Wider issues emerged as the politicization of service delivery, limited data and capacity of city councils, and influences from external actors and events. Understanding local contexts is crucial, because prevailing policy regimes and socio-political environments either stifle or foster electricity access for low-income groups. The energy injustices and access deficits were acknowledged by all respondents, but there were differences in opinion regarding the root causes of the challenge, which could have negative implications for solution-finding efforts. Generally, the extent of the challenges faced is unknown outside the slum communities, and future work could explore the lived experiences of electricity access, to inform equitable electricity provision.