The Big Switch: 30 days of real operational impact
On April 1, 2025, Umeme Limited’s 20-year electricity distribution concession officially ended.
The Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) took over its assets, marking a significant milestone in Uganda’s energy sector. This transition reaffirmed the government of Uganda’s confidence in public enterprise, challenging long-standing skepticism.
Leading up to the handover, there were widespread fears. Ugandans were urged to stock up on electricity tokens, with rumors suggesting that purchasing electricity would be impossible after April 1, 2025.
Some advised investing in solar kits, doubting UEDCL’s ability to maintain services previously provided by Umeme Limited. There was also public concern about whether UEDCL could hire over 2,193 workers within 90 days and whether the government could pay the buyout amount necessary to regain Umeme’s assets.
Despite the uncertainty, the government paid Umeme a buyout amount of $118 million, as confirmed by the auditor general. At midnight on March 31, 2025, UEDCL completed the transition and made its first operational success: facilitating electricity token purchases through MTN, Airtel and banks.
The first “Light” token replaced the familiar “Yaka,” sparking national conversation on the name change and quickly dispelling prior fears. On its first day, UEDCL inherited 116 faulty transformers and a network weakened by reduced investment from Umeme, per earlier guidance from the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA).
The transition was chaotic, UEDCL’s top leadership, including the managing director and senior managers, received thousands of calls within hours. Yet, within days, normal operations resumed.
By April 24, UEDCL had replaced 152 transformers (ranging from 50kVA to 1000kVA), significantly improving power reliability. The company also exceeded expectations by recruiting all 2,193 required staff in just 79 days, completing this by March 31.
The recruitment began on January 13, drawing massive crowds to UEDCL offices in Kampala, making it the largest employment exercise in Ugandan history. With staff deployed and operations normalized by mid-April, UEDCL has been actively resolving inherited issues like transformer failures, fallen and badly leaning poles, and power interruptions.
These efforts form part of a broader government commitment to improve service delivery nationwide. Looking ahead, UEDCL is working to meet ERA targets for 2025–2028. With $74 million, secured for first-year capital investments, projects set for May 2025 include refurbishing lines, renovating substations, and installing 518 transformers in high-demand areas.
These upgrades aim to build a resilient distribution network and support national development. UEDCL also began rolling out new electricity connections in late April. Backed by $25 million approved by ERA, the focus is on no-pole residential and three-phase connections, with mass rollout beginning in May.
According to the managing director Paul Mwesigwa, necessary meters are in stock, teams are undergoing training, and the online application system is fully functional, eliminating the need for middlemen. As of early May, UEDCL had received 8,200 domestic applications for no-pole connections.
“We are targeting 225,000 new connections over the next 11 months, and we are confident we will meet that regulatory target,” Mwesigwa said.
Service centers previously managed by Umeme are being modernized. Each now offers a full suite of tools for seamless customer service. A state-of-the-art contact center and multiple 24/7 customer touchpoints are operational.
Bill payments can now be made anytime, anywhere using all telecoms, banking applications and other digital options. UEDCL continues to advance its digital agenda, with internal teams developing proprietary systems to reduce dependency on third parties.
However, challenges remain. Vandalism and illegal connections have increased operational costs and posed safety risks. Six incidents were reported in Nakasongola alone, with additional cases in Mityana and Mukono in the first month of operation.
These acts have caused prolonged outages and harmed the company’s reputation. In response, UEDCL is collaborating with law enforcement and urging the public to report vandalism through local authorities or toll-free lines.
“Community engagement is at the heart of our strategy,” Mwesigwa said. “We are stepping up outreach efforts using every available channel, including the media.”
Despite high expectations and rising demand, UEDCL remains committed to building a reliable, efficient, and secure electricity distribution network. The first 30 days have shown promise, resilience and a clear focus on long-term success.
The journey has just begun, and UEDCL asks for public patience and support as it proves that government can manage a utility effectively, independently and sustainably.
The writer is the head of Corporate & Stakeholder Affairs, Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited
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