Fresh uncertainty has emerged in Uganda’s electricity sector following reports of a major leadership shake-up at Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited, commonly known as UEDCL. The reported changes have sparked widespread discussion about the future stability of the country’s electricity distribution system at a time when the sector is already facing major operational challenges.
According to sources within the Ministry of Energy, the shake-up has affected top leaders at UEDCL, including board chairperson Lydia Ochieng-Obbo, whose appointment has reportedly been terminated. The company’s Managing Director, Paul Mwesigwa, has also reportedly been sent on forced leave pending further developments.
The reports began circulating on Friday evening, creating confusion and concern within the energy sector. Although ministry officials confirmed that changes had indeed taken place, detailed explanations regarding the decisions were still limited by the time the information emerged publicly.
A source from the Ministry of Energy revealed that authorities were preparing an official statement to explain the situation in greater detail. The source confirmed that the board chairperson had been terminated while the managing director had been instructed to step aside on forced leave.
However, officials did not immediately reveal whether other senior staff members had also been affected by the reported restructuring. The exact reasons behind the decisions also remained unclear, fueling speculation about deeper problems within the organization.
When contacted for comment, Patricia Litho, an assistant commissioner responsible for communications and information management at the Ministry of Energy, neither confirmed nor denied the reports. Meanwhile, UEDCL officials also declined to publicly comment on the developing story.
The developments come at a sensitive moment for Uganda’s electricity sector, especially after government recently took full control of electricity distribution operations following the end of Umeme’s 20-year concession agreement in April 2025.
The transition from private management back to government control marked one of the biggest changes in Uganda’s energy sector in recent years. Many citizens hoped the move would improve service delivery, reduce power outages, and expand electricity access across the country.
Since taking over electricity distribution, UEDCL has reportedly made progress in some areas, including increasing the number of electricity connections. Reports indicate that more than 640,000 new electricity connections have been added since the transition.
The company has also reportedly made efforts to reduce technical power losses within the electricity distribution system. However, despite these achievements, many Ugandans continue to complain about persistent power outages and unstable electricity supply in different parts of the country.
The sector has additionally struggled with major infrastructure problems inherited from previous years. These include aging electricity poles, overloaded transformers, weak substations, and damaged distribution lines that continue to affect service delivery.
According to reports, UEDCL management previously argued that many of the problems affecting service delivery were inherited defects requiring huge financial investments to fix. Some estimates reportedly placed the value of the inherited infrastructure challenges at around 85 million dollars.
At the same time, the Electricity Regulatory Authority, commonly known as ERA, has reportedly accused UEDCL of inefficiency and poor management performance. This tension between the regulator and the electricity distributor appears to have contributed to growing pressure within the sector.
The current shake-up is also linked to earlier investigations ordered by the Ministry of Energy into the operations and conduct of UEDCL’s top management. In December, the ministry directed the company’s board to conduct a detailed internal investigation into management performance.
At the time, government officials insisted that the investigation was meant to improve transparency and accountability rather than punish staff members. Authorities emphasized that no dismissals had been made during the initial stages of the review process.
The latest developments have also revived memories of earlier disagreements within government regarding attempts to remove senior UEDCL officials. Previously, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja reportedly intervened to stop plans aimed at dismissing several top managers within the company.
In a previous communication to Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa, Nabbanja reportedly warned that large-scale dismissals could create instability in a sector already facing major challenges. She urged caution and called for careful review before drastic decisions were taken.
The leadership crisis has also reopened debate about the future structure of Uganda’s electricity distribution sector. In recent months, discussions had emerged about whether private companies should again be allowed to participate in electricity distribution management.
Those proposals reportedly attracted political debate and public concern, with some leaders questioning whether returning private operators would truly solve the sector’s long-standing challenges. Later, government officials appeared to distance themselves from the idea.
As Ugandans wait for a detailed official statement from the Ministry of Energy, many citizens and industry observers remain concerned about how the sudden leadership changes could affect electricity supply, investor confidence, and ongoing reforms within the sector.
With Uganda’s power sector playing a critical role in economic growth, industrial development, and daily life, the unfolding situation at UEDCL is expected to remain under close public attention. Many people are now waiting to see whether the leadership shake-up will improve accountability and service delivery or create even deeper uncertainty within the country’s electricity distribution system.
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