The State Minister for ICT, Owek. Hon. Joyce Nabosa Sebugwawo, has today launched a Ugandan Home Solar Kit dubbed Solar M7 with a promise to light up Uganda and Africa in the next five years.
Speaking to journalists in Kampala, Owek. Sebugwawo noted that for too long, many people in remote areas have lived in darkness because they cannot afford grid electricity.
Hon. Sebugwawo says that during her efforts to provide computers to rural schools, she discovered that many of the communities these school-going children came from lacked even basic access to electricity.
“Even in places where power lines pass overhead, many homes remain dark every night. This is not just a power problem, it is a poverty problem, a development problem, and a barrier to participating in the digital economy of our time,” she noted.
It was for this reason that she joined hands with Mr Innocent Kawooya and Henry Lutwama, to develop a cheap solar product that can serve these last-mile households.
“This is not just a gadget. It is the start of a movement. A movement that will light homes, charge phones, enable schoolwork, and empower businesses even in the most remote locations,” she said.
According to Mr Lutwama, a co-founder, Solar M7 comes with Seven Powerful Characteristics including mobility, affordability, plug-and-play convenience, 24/7 Availability, portability, Ease of Use and Reliability.
“It is designed for even the lowest-income households. You don’t need a technician to use it and is built to last with dependable, high-quality components,” he said.
He noted that the Solar M7 kit comes with a battery, 5 bulbs, a solar panel, a phone charger and a radio.
Hon Sebugwawo promised that over the next five years, Solar M7 will roll out and give away up to five million (5,000,000) solar kits at the lowest prices ever, changing lives across Uganda and the entire COMESA region, which is home to over 640 million people.
“But today, as we launch this campaign, I am pleased to share that we are starting with 1,000 solar kits, which I will personally hand over to women leaders in remote villages for free. These women leaders, teachers, midwives, elders, and birth attendants are the light of their communities, and they deserve to live and serve with light in their homes.”
Meanwhile, Mr Innocent Kawooya, the CEO of HiPipo and a National Independence Medallist, said that this campaign is a contribution to the Uganda National Electrification Plan, and a direct response to His Excellency the President’s Agenda of ensuring every Ugandan has access to power and can fully participate in the digital economy.
“Many families in rural areas can’t afford paraffin of Shs 1,000 a day, or Shs 360,000 a year, to light their homes. Solar M7 is the solution. At less than 50 dollars, families should be able to get a permanent solution to domestic electricity.”
He further noted that they are working with partners such as the COMESA Business Council, with a plan to scale this effort across borders.
The minister urged development partners, donors, and governments to join the cause and ensure that ‘no home is left in the dark, no child fails to study because of lack of light, and no woman gives birth in total darkness’.
About Solar M7
Solar M7 is a product that delivers Africa’s most accessible and transformative solar home kit for last-mile communities. Solar M7 is the latest innovation in Africa’s journey toward inclusive energy and financial empowerment, designed to provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy to off-grid households.