For Failing To Fix The Daily Power Blackout Country Wide! MPs Demand Sacking of Former UMEME Employees from UEDCL as Power Outages Anger Ugandans

Members of Parliament have called for the removal of former UMEME employees working at the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL), accusing some of them of potentially undermining the state-owned electricity distributor. The demand came during a heated meeting of Parliament’s Natural Resources Committee, where lawmakers questioned electricity sector officials over persistent power outages and delays in improving the distribution network.

More than 60 percent of UEDCL’s workforce reportedly consists of former UMEME employees who transitioned to the government-owned company when UMEME’s 20-year electricity distribution concession ended in April 2025. UEDCL’s Acting Managing Director, Eng. Joselynne Rwabwogo Rwakakoko, is among the former UMEME staff now leading the company. Some MPs questioned whether retaining former employees could be affecting the performance of the new arrangement, although no evidence was presented to establish that they were deliberately sabotaging the company.

The lawmakers were particularly angered by information presented by Dr. Geoffrey Okoboi, the Director of Economic Regulation at the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA). According to the report, the government had made $126 million available to support electricity distribution improvements, alongside a $50 million loan guaranteed by the government from ABSA Bank. However, MPs were told that UEDCL had utilised only about $1.5 million, raising questions about why the available funds had not translated into visible improvements.

UEDCL management reportedly attributed part of the slow spending to local-content requirements under the Buy Uganda, Build Uganda policy, which prioritises local suppliers. The company said some local businesses lacked the capacity to supply essential equipment, including transformers, quickly enough and at the required quality. Lawmakers, however, questioned why the company had failed to make faster progress while consumers continued to experience unreliable electricity supplies.

The committee also questioned ERA over its handling of investments ahead of UMEME’s departure. Committee Chairperson Dan Kimosho challenged Okoboi to explain why the regulator had allegedly prevented UEDCL from investing in network improvements before April 2025. The report says Okoboi argued that regulatory rules restricted such investments while UMEME remained responsible for distribution, but MPs were dissatisfied with his explanation and questioned why the issue had not been addressed earlier.

Lawmakers linked the current electricity challenges to an ageing distribution network, overloaded transformers and poorly maintained substations. The report also cited figures showing that Uganda’s electricity customer base grew from approximately 1.6 million in 2021 to 2.78 million in 2026, increasing demand on infrastructure that MPs believe has not received sufficient investment. Officials also identified vandalism of electricity equipment as another problem contributing to unreliable supply.

Several MPs described severe outages in their constituencies. Allan Atugonza of Buliisa County complained that residents and businesses in Biso town council sometimes spend several days without electricity, while Committee Chairperson Kimosho said consumers in his Kazo area experience prolonged interruptions. Busiro North MP Moses Mayanja also complained about limited and unreliable electricity access in parts of Wakiso District, arguing that the situation had become unacceptable for residents and businesses.

Mayanja and other lawmakers called for a purge of former UMEME employees from UEDCL, arguing that the government must establish whether the current workforce is fully committed to making the new electricity distribution arrangement succeed. The allegations of sabotage remain unproven, and the meeting did not establish that former UMEME staff were responsible for the outages. The central challenge facing UEDCL remains how to improve the distribution network, use available funds effectively and deliver more reliable electricity to households and businesses across Uganda.