Mbale City | THE BLACK EXAMINER | In May of this year, President Museveni issued an executive order prohibiting commercial charcoal production as a measure to protect the environment. The ban has encountered resistance from the public, given their strong reliance on charcoal as the primary cooking fuel.

Charcoal dealers in Mbale are in a frenzy to secure any smuggled charcoal brought in by long-distance traders, paying additional sums to incentivize those who navigate security checkpoints from Northern and North Eastern Uganda, as Leah Nambozo elucidates. According to Nambozo, distributors face significant challenges, including arrests and hefty fines during transportation, not to mention the subpar quality of the smuggled charcoal.

Masheti Paul, the LC1 chairperson for Mission Road Cell, asserts that the charcoal ban benefits both charcoal dealers and law enforcement.

As a result of these challenges, the price of a bag of charcoal has doubled, going from shs40,000 to shs80,000, rendering it unaffordable for many households in Mbale. Sarah Neumbe shares how her family now limits themselves to one meal a day to conserve their diminishing charcoal supply, while Irene Namakambo has resorted to using firewood. Mukobe Sarah is urging the government to intervene.

Hawa Muduwa, a resident of Mission Cell, has adopted a traditional triple-stone cook stove as a budget-friendly alternative, even though it requires more firewood than charcoal, making it a more cost-effective choice.

Jamal Godi, an environmentalist from the Department of Geography at the Islamic University in Uganda, calls for the promotion of alternative energy sources and eco-friendly technologies. He believes that while the charcoal ban was necessary, it lacked a transitional plan.

Hellen Jabi, a resident of Bugema B Cell, highlights the efficiency of an energy-saving stove that requires shs1,000 worth of firewood to prepare meals for the entire day, compared to shs4,000 for a typical charcoal cookstove. These stoves don’t emit smoke like traditional three-stone stoves.

Bernard Jabi, a sales agent, mentions that these stoves have been subsidized for low-income earners, most of whom rely on firewood and charcoal. They come with a serial number for traceability to prevent price inflation by sales agents.

The cost, design, and features of these stoves vary depending on the supplier, with prices ranging from shs180,000 to shs550,000. Suppliers have adjusted rates and payment terms to ensure wider accessibility.

Francis Ochen, another resident of Bugema “B” village, has been using a solar-powered biomass cook stove for two months and is pleased with its efficiency and cost savings. A basin of charcoal, which used to last a few days, now lasts a month with this stove. He purchased it on loan and notes that it uses various types of fuel and is enhanced with a solar-powered fan to speed up cooking and eliminate smoke.

Despite the high demand, energy-efficient stoves are currently in short supply.

While cooking with electricity is an option, it remains unfamiliar to many Ugandans due to cost and safety concerns. UMEME and the government of Uganda are running a campaign to encourage electricity for cooking with discounted rates set quarterly by the Electricity Regulatory Authority, as explained by UMEME spokesperson Peter Kaujju.

This means that individuals can purchase 150 units of power for shs78,000 instead of shs120,000, making it an affordable option for daily use. A standard hotplate consumes one unit of electricity per hour.

Kaujju also revealed that UMEME is collaborating with Makerere University and other partners to promote the use of electric pressure cookers in support of clean energy and climate change goals.

Ali Abed Tamim, a businessman in Mbale City, has transitioned to cooking with electricity, consuming three units daily for both cooking and other uses. He emphasizes the need for a shift in cooking culture towards energy-efficient foods and avoiding the traditional practice of keeping food on fire longer for flavor.