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On Monday, March 31st, 2025, Umeme Ltd officially handed over the responsibility of power distribution to the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL), following the expiration of its 30-year concession.
The handover event was attended by key stakeholders, including the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa, who offered a warning to Paul Mwesigwa, the Executive Director (ED) of UEDCL.
With the upcoming January 2026 elections, the Minister cautioned Mwesigwa that power supply would become a hot topic during the political campaigns.
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Political Season Brings Added Pressure on UEDCL
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According to Minister Nankabirwa, in the upcoming election season, UEDCL’s performance will be closely monitored by both the public and political figures.
“This is a season of elections. It is a political season. Things will not be the same,” she said.
“You will get many phone calls, and if the President is holding a rally, a village leader might complain about power outages, and you will be expected to explain.”
The Minister added that Mwesigwa’s name would soon be “on everyone’s lips,” replacing Umeme as the focal point of power distribution concerns.
She advised the new ED to maintain strong communication with both the Ministry and customers, ensuring transparency and early notifications of any power outages.
The Minister also assured Mwesigwa that the government had allocated a substantial investment of $74 million to support UEDCL’s operations, and with experienced personnel at the helm, UEDCL would be well-prepared for the challenges ahead.