The Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Ltd) interim management has terminated the contracts of seven senior managers who had earlier been placed on forced leave, marking a fresh wave of leadership changes within the utility company.
The affected officials—widely perceived internally as loyalists to ousted Managing Director Paul Mwesigwa—had initially been sent on forced leave on May 6 to allow investigations into alleged concerns over workplace culture and performance following UEDCL’s takeover of the national electricity distribution network from Umeme Ltd on April 1, 2025.
The seven are: Ms Justine Nakagiri Ssemwanga (Head of Internal Audit); Mr Boniface Barongo (Head of Human Resources and Administration); Ms Beatrice Tumuheirwe (HR Business Partner); Mr Jonan Kiiza (Head of Corporate and Stakeholder Affairs); Mr Protaze Tibyakinura (Chief of Engineering and Technical Services); Ms Barbrah Kyomuhendo (Head of Technology and Applications); and Mr Geoffrey Musafu (Manager of Applications).
According to internal sources, the group was summoned by the HR department on Monday to collect termination letters indicating that their contracts would not be renewed beyond June 30, in line with guidance under the Ministry of Public Service’s Rationalisation of Government and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) programme.
The RAPEX framework has imposed a hiring freeze on non-critical positions across targeted government agencies as part of a broader restructuring exercise affecting the electricity sector, including Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited, Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited, and Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Ltd.
These entities, alongside the Electricity Regulatory Authority (Electricity Regulatory Authority), were originally unbundled from the former Uganda Electricity Board following the Electricity Act of 1999. However, the Electricity (Amendment) Act, 2022 provides for their potential re-merger into a single vertically integrated entity—the Uganda National Electricity Company (UNEC)—with government reportedly considering a 51:49 public-private structure.
Despite this policy direction, implementation of the merger appears uncertain, with conflicting signals from government over the future structure of the electricity sector.
Inside government circles, President Yoweri Museveni is reported to have previously directed that a contract be awarded to SMS Construction for the construction of a major office block for UETCL along 3rd Street in Industrial Area, though the project is currently behind schedule and surrounded by controversy. Meanwhile, UEDCL operates from a large office in Nakasero, while UEGCL continues to rent premises in Bukoto.
Sources further allege that internal tensions within the distribution company have contributed to operational inefficiencies, including claims of deliberate sabotage and coordinated online campaigns amplifying public dissatisfaction over power outages.
Although power reliability challenges persist in parts of the Greater Kampala Metropolitan area—where several substations remain under rehabilitation—the intensity of public criticism reportedly reduced following the removal of Mr Mwesigwa. He was sent on forced leave on April 29 by then Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa, allegedly on presidential directive, over concerns including rising electricity losses, which increased from about 15% to 19% after UEDCL assumed control of the distribution network.
Two months later, insiders say the company remains uncertain about his final status, partly due to ambiguity in employment provisions governing forced leave duration under public service regulations.
Efforts to obtain an official comment from UEDCL management were unsuccessful by press time. Acting Chief Executive Officer Ms Joselynne Rwakakooko was reportedly away at a conference in South Africa, while her deputy, Mr Isaac Mufumbiro, Head of Strategy, Compliance and Regulation, did not respond to repeated inquiries.
Organisational records indicate that Mr Mufumbiro sits among mid-level management, alongside heads of procurement, projects, human resources, and corporate affairs, beneath six senior “chief-level” officers.
Recent internal reshuffles saw several former Umeme staff take up acting leadership roles across UEDCL. These include Mr Isaac Katewanga as Chief Commercial Officer; Mr Steven Illungole replacing Mr Kiiza; Mr Sylver Hategekema replacing Mr Tibyakinura; Mr Samuel Omoding replacing Mr Barongo; Mr Nickson Ahabwe replacing Ms Ssemwanga; Mr Richard Opiyo replacing Ms Kyomuhendo; Mr Francis Damulira replacing Mr Musafu; and Ms Christine Atuhaire replacing Ms Tumuheirwe.
All were appointed in acting capacities as the company continues its post-transition restructuring.
At UEDCL’s 21st Annual General Meeting in May, Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa—who was later dropped from Cabinet and appointed Senior Presidential Advisor—defended the management changes, stating that while financial performance had improved, customer complaints and connection delays remained significant challenges.
She also noted that electricity losses had worsened, despite earlier expectations for improvement following the transition from Umeme, which exited the distribution concession on March 31, 2025.
Umeme closed its operations with energy losses of about 16%, down from over 30% in earlier years, while UEDCL had been tasked with reducing losses to 13.7%. However, current estimates suggest a deterioration of nearly six percentage points since takeover.
For comparison, regional loss levels stand at approximately 22% in Kenya and 17.9% in Tanzania, both of which have higher installed generation capacity than Uganda.
Meanwhile, preliminary arbitration proceedings between Umeme Ltd and the Government of Uganda over a $234.7 million buyout compensation are expected to commence in London later this month.
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