POWER CRISIS! UEDCL Under Fire as UMEME Legacy Haunts New Distributor
UEDCL ED Rwakakooko
Dear Editor,
Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) is facing mounting scrutiny over electricity service delivery following its takeover of the national distribution network from UMEME, with questions emerging over its ability to match the performance standards expected of the former operator.
The transition has reignited debate over efficiency, customer care and accountability, with consumers expecting reliable electricity rather than prolonged outages, delayed repairs and unanswered complaints.
UMEME operated under a commercial model that placed emphasis on efficiency, revenue collection and customer relations. UEDCL, as a government-owned utility, must now demonstrate that public ownership can deliver the same urgency and operational discipline.
Although UMEME had its own shortcomings, its departure has sharpened scrutiny of how the new distributor handles faults, maintains infrastructure and responds to customers.
OLD CHALLENGES, BIGGER MANDATE
UEDCL was already distributing electricity in several parts of Uganda before taking over the wider network, including remote areas where difficult terrain and costly maintenance complicate service delivery.
Some communities, including parts of Kanungu, rely on small hydropower installations, presenting operational challenges that require effective maintenance and technical expertise.
The expanded network has increased UEDCL’s responsibilities, but transferring infrastructure, vehicles, substations and offices does not automatically guarantee efficient operations.
Ugandans demand the utility to demonstrate that it has the personnel, systems and management capacity to maintain the network and respond promptly when faults occur.
EFFICIENCY OR BUSINESS AS USUAL?
A key test for UEDCL will be whether it establishes clear performance standards and holds managers accountable for results.
Critics of public-sector management often point to bureaucracy, weak supervision and limited consequences for poor performance. UEDCL must show that these concerns will not undermine its operations.
That means setting measurable targets for fault response, monitoring repair times, communicating outage information and ensuring that customer complaints receive timely attention.
The utility’s performance should be judged by evidence: how quickly faults are resolved, how effectively disruptions are managed and whether consumers experience improvements in service.
COMPETENCE UNDER SCRUTINY
Staff competence and recruitment practices will also influence the distributor’s performance.
Concerns about nepotism and patronage in public institutions have fuelled calls for appointments based on merit, technical ability and proven results.
Electricity distribution demands more than academic qualifications. It requires practical problem-solving, teamwork, effective supervision and the ability to make timely decisions when faults threaten homes and businesses.
UEDCL must ensure that its expanded operations are supported by skilled personnel and management systems capable of delivering results.
CAN UEDCL MATCH UMEME?
The comparison with UMEME is inevitable, but the challenge is not simply to replicate the former operator. It is to retain effective practices, address operational weaknesses and improve service under the new management.
For households, traders and manufacturers, unreliable electricity can disrupt daily activities, raise operating costs and undermine productivity.
Consumers want dependable power, prompt repairs, clear communication during outages and customer-care teams that take complaints seriously.
UEDCL now has an opportunity to prove that a state-owned utility can combine public accountability with commercial discipline.
Concerned Ugandan.
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