𝗘𝗥𝗔 𝗔𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗠𝘂𝘇𝘇𝘂𝗸𝘂𝗹𝘂 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝘆𝗮𝗹𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗨𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆

The Manager of the Office of the National Chairman (ONC), SPA Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, has hosted officials from the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) at the ONC offices in Kyambogo, where they acknowledged persistent electricity supply challenges attributed to vandalism, ageing infrastructure, network constraints and rising demand. The engagement followed concerns raised by Namyalo over prolonged power outages, delayed electricity connections and the performance of Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL). The ERA delegation comprised Ibrahim Kasita, Principal Engagement Officer, and Costa Nantume from the Consumer Affairs Department.

During the meeting, Kasita explained that Uganda’s electricity challenges extend beyond generation capacity to the transmission and distribution networks responsible for delivering power to consumers. He cited installed generation capacity of approximately 2,098 megawatts against a maximum demand of 1,345.3 megawatts by the end of 2025, noting that overloaded transformers, ageing equipment and recurrent network faults continue to undermine reliable supply. Namyalo welcomed ERA’s engagement but emphasised that Ugandans need practical solutions rather than prolonged explanations. She called for greater accountability, urging Parliament to investigate the reported Shs1.71 trillion handled by UEDCL and establish why customers who have paid for electricity connections remain unconnected.

On the outstanding connection backlog, Kasita disclosed that UEDCL had connected approximately 159,000 customers during the year and was targeting to clear the remaining backlog by December 2026. He attributed some of the delays to shortages of electricity meters and other connection materials, while noting that procurement and supply interventions were expected to accelerate the process. He further revealed that UEDCL had replaced 1,110 distribution transformers by July 2026, alongside plans to expand Kawanda Substation’s capacity from 40 MVA to 80 MVA, develop a new Matugga Substation and address recurring faults affecting Entebbe, Namasuba and Kisubi. These measures are intended to ease pressure on the distribution network and improve service reliability.

Namyalo called for a coordinated response involving ERA, UEDCL, the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL), the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and other relevant government institutions. She stressed that unreliable electricity has far-reaching economic consequences, particularly for rural communities and small enterprises such as welding workshops, salons and maize mills whose livelihoods depend on a stable power supply. She also underscored the importance of protecting the livelihoods of ordinary Ugandans, arguing that reliable electricity is indispensable to the government’s socio-economic transformation agenda. Namyalo questioned whether the responsible institutions had sufficient human and technical capacity to address the persistent challenges, insisting that public investments must translate into measurable improvements in service delivery.

In response, Kasita assured Namyalo that consumers should begin to see improvements in electricity supply within six months as the responsible agencies implement measures to address outages and connection delays. Namyalo urged the institutions to honour that commitment, emphasising that accountability, timely execution and effective coordination must underpin the ongoing interventions. The engagement comes amid continued public concern over electricity reliability and access following UEDCL’s takeover of distribution operations from Umeme in April 2025. Ultimately, she maintained that Ugandans deserve dependable electricity, timely connections and tangible results from the institutions entrusted with delivering this essential public service.