President Museveni has summoned the Cabinet to State House, Entebbe today to discuss the Shs5.9 trillion Karuma Hydro Power Project.

Minister for Information Mary Karooro Okurut confirmed the President’s summonses: “Yes, he [the President] has called a special Cabinet [meeting] for tomorrow,” Ms Karooro said yesterday.

The 600-megawatt project is two years behind schedule.

The process to find an engineering, procurement and construction company for the work has, so far, failed.

“Concerned citizens” have along the way petitioned the High Court and the Inspectorate of Government, among other departments, complaining that the procurement had been compromised.

Ms Irene Mulyagonja, the IGG, directed the Ministry of Energy in March to start anew the procurement for a constructor.

The IGG directive comes after China Water and International Corporation, which the Ministry of Energy had favoured for the work, was found incompetent.

Ms Mulyagonja recommended that the next procurement be by restricted international bidding.

However, since then, President Museveni reportedly took over the project to fast track it since his ministers for Energy have allegedly failed him.

But Energy minister Irene Muloni blames “concerned citizens” who petitioned the High Court, the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority and the Inspectorate of Government for the delays.

“...the net effect of this will be a protracted procurement, excessive delays and a possible return to the power supply crisis,” Ms Muloni said through a February memorandum to her Cabinet colleagues.