According to Paul Mwesigwa, managing director of Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited, everything is set up for them to take over the nation’s power distribution.
There has been doubt about the government’s capacity to successfully assume control of power distribution following the termination of Umeme’s 20-year concession.
Umeme was formally turned over to UEDCL on Monday.
During the event, Paul Mwesigwa, the managing director of UEDCL, stated that the organization has acquired five concessions across the last 20 years: Ferdisult Engineering Limited (2017), Bundibugyo Energy Cooperative Society (BECS, 2021), Pader Abim Community Multi-Purpose Energy Society (PACMECS, 2023), Kyegegwa Rural Energy Cooperative Society Limited (KRECS, 2024), and Kilembe Investments Limited (2024).
He claimed that because of this, they had gained sufficient experience to manage Umeme’s sixth concession.
As a result, all service territories have seen corporate takeovers, growth, and upgraded services that are now sustainable. For instance, the power energy loss target was 28% when we took over Ferdisult in 2017, and it is currently 18.1%, according to Mwesigwa.
According to Mwesigwa, they adhere strictly to their company concept, which focuses on connecting customers, providing power, controlling energy losses, collecting payments, and encouraging safety.
Because of this, UEDCL has been able to portray itself as the reliable Ugandan government power provider that will revitalize the power distribution industry.
The Ministry of Energy awarded UEDCL the licenses to distribute and sell energy in January, taking Umeme Ltd.’s place with effect from April 1, 2025.
This followed the government’s decision to not extend any private companies’ expiring distribution licenses, including Umeme’s concession, which is set to expire today after 20 years.
Speaking at the formal transfer from Umeme, Paul Mwesigwa, the managing director of UEDCL, stated that after receiving the two licenses, they began getting ready for the significant undertaking that lay ahead.
In response, he stated that UEDCL has already started all necessary network and non-network procurements to guarantee business continuity following Umeme.
We are appreciative that in December, shareholders approved a 2,712 staff structure. We started hiring on January 6, 2025, and as of right now, 99.6% of the staff for the aforementioned structure have been hired; the remaining 0.4%, or roughly 11 individuals, will be hired by today’s closing of business, Mwesigwa stated.
All systems (in Umeme and UEDCL) on ICTs must be kept up to date. We will keep deploying these until the moment comes to integrate them without affecting service delivery. They are now on our ledger. Purchasing power units and other services will continue to be available through banks, other collection platforms, and channels (MTN & Airtel). In addition to the aforementioned, all electricity units that clients bought prior to Umeme’s departure will still be valid after her departure.
He stated that even once Umeme Limited leaves, all of its former offices will stay operational.
“All vehicles will return to UEDCL, including cars, motorcycles, trucks, vans, SUVs, and other mobile equipment. Hon.
Ministers, UEDCL Tower has the corresponding log records for each of these, and we will make sure that
resolved before the last day.
