Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) has appealed to government and the Ministry of Energy to revamp the rural electrification program to make electricity cheaper and affordable to Ugandans as a source of energy and power.

According to Sharon Ayat Arach the UPC Spokesperson, cheaper and affordable power reduces the destruction of both trees and forests for charcoal making, something leading to climate change.

She revealed that, people in some parts of the country are busy carelessly cutting down trees in forests for mainly firewood and charcoal as well as erecting buildings and constructing factories which has caused natural calamities including floods, and long droughts, among others.

“Such acts are leaving our soils exposed to excesses of heavy rains that are more dangerous and life-threatening just as we have witnessed in the past with floods and their associated dangers including loss of lives, damage to crops, animals, houses, while roads, and bridges get washed away,” she said.

She noted that, there is a need to urgently step up gears for planting trees and reforestation with a clear-cut policy that any tree that is cut down, a new one must be planted.

Ayat’s plea has come after the Ministry of Water and Environment, and Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA) released a weather forecast report for September to December 2023, seasonal rainfall outlook that is expected to be strictly followed by both the government and the citizenry, as it is expected to guide diverse day-to-day activities of the people in the country.

She also appealed to the government to ensure timely availability of such weather forecast reports for risk management and prevention of uncertainties of Bududa, Kasese, and Lake Victoria (Boat accident) incident nature.