KAMPALA- The government has reaffirmed its readiness to take over Uganda’s electricity distribution network from Umeme Limited, with a commitment to improving service delivery, reducing tariffs, and curbing vandalism.
While presiding over the official handover at Umeme’s head offices in Kampala, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Ruth Nankabirwa assured Ugandans that the transition to the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) will prioritize affordability and reliability.
Nankabirwa says the government is ready to take over Umeme’s operations and serve Ugandans better and is committed to reducing electricity tariffs and tackling vandalism, which has been a major setback in the sector.
The transition follows the conclusion of Umeme’s 20-year concession, with assets worth billions of shillings now under government control.
The takeover also comes after negotiations over Umeme’s buyout, which was reviewed and reduced from $234 million (Shs853 billion) to $118 million (Shs430 billion) by the Auditor General.
UEDCL Executive Director Paul Mwesigwa confirmed that the company has already taken over 80% of Umeme’s assets and staff and emphasized that their immediate priority is to clear over 300,000 pending connection applications within the next year.
With the government now at the helm, expectations are high for improved efficiency, stable power supply, and a reduction in electricity costs for consumers.
Ugandans have however ran to social media expressing their dissatisfaction after almost the whole country was thrown into darkness a day after Umeme handed over to Uganda Electricity Distribution Company limited.
