Who Benefits from Uganda’s Electric Cooking Tariff?
| dc.contributor.author | Kirabo, Shamim | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-23T07:48:52Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-23T07:48:52Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-11-24 | |
| dc.description | This is a master's thesis. | |
| dc.description.abstract | This study investigates the beneficiaries of Uganda’s electric cooking tariff, focusing on households in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA). Uganda’s cooking sector remains dominated by biomass, with over 87% of households relying on charcoal and firewood, leading to deforestation, indoor air pollution, and related health risks. To address these challenges, the Electricity Regulatory Authority introduced a cooking tariff in 2022 to encourage households to adopt electricity-based cooking. However, its effectiveness in improving affordability and accessibility has been uncertain. The study employed a mixed-methods approach. Household surveys were conducted to identify commonly prepared foods, while Controlled Cooking Tests (CCTs) using an electric pressure cooker (EPC) and induction stove were carried out at the Makerere University Business School energy unit. Three household menus were replicated, and data on energy consumption, cooking time, and costs were analyzed under different tariff bands. Results show that matooke, rice, and posho are staple foods in GKMA, often served with beans, beef, and groundnuts. CCT findings confirm that electric cooking is technically feasible and efficient, especially with EPCs. Average household cooking consumption ranged between 67 and 72 kWh per month, representing over half of total electricity use. However, because the cooking tariff applies only between 80 and 150 kWh, most households including middle- and high-income earners do not qualify, effectively negating its intended benefit. The study concludes that the current tariff design is misaligned with household consumption patterns. It recommends lowering the eligibility threshold, expanding appliance access, and improving awareness to enhance equitable clean cooking transitions. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Dr. Nicholas Mukisa (Makerere University Business School) & Dr. Paul Nduhuura (Makerere University Business School) | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Kirabo, S. (2025) Who Benefits from Uganda’s Electric Cooking Tariff? A Case of Greater Kampala Metropolitan. (Unpublished master's dissertation). Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12282/6132 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Makerere University Business School | |
| dc.rights | Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States | en |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ | |
| dc.title | Who Benefits from Uganda’s Electric Cooking Tariff? | |
| dc.title.alternative | A Case of Greater Kampala Metropolitan. | |
| dc.type | Thesis |