A fresh wave of leadership changes has swept through the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL), underscoring growing government pressure on the state-owned utility to deliver on performance amid mounting public scrutiny.
The latest shake-up follows a directive by the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa, who on May 2, 2026 dismissed board chairperson Lydia Ochieng-Obbo and asked managing director Paul Mwesigwa to step aside, paving the way for a comprehensive operational audit.
The intervention comes at a delicate moment for UEDCL, barely a year after it took over electricity distribution from Umeme in April 2025 an ambitious transition that placed the company at the centre of Uganda’s power sector reforms.
In the immediate aftermath, government named Stella-Marie Biwaga Cingtho as interim board chairperson, while Eng. Joselynne R. Rwakakooko was elevated to acting managing director.
The audit was triggered by rising concern over persistent outages, operational inefficiencies, and electricity losses estimated at about 17 percent—figures that have raised questions about the company’s readiness to manage a fully national distribution mandate.
As part of efforts to stabilise operations during the review, Rwakakooko has moved to reconstitute the top management team, announcing a raft of acting appointments on May 6 targeting key technical and administrative functions.
Those appointed include Sylver Hategekimana (engineering and technical services), Isaac Katewanga (commercial), Samuel Omoding (human resource and administration), and Stephen Ilungole (corporate and stakeholder affairs).
Also named are Nickson Ahabwe (internal audit), Richard Opiyo (technology and applications), Francis Ddamulira (applications), and Christine Atuhaire (human resource—business partners).
The changes effectively sideline a number of senior managers who had steered the company through its transition from Umeme, signalling a decisive shift in internal control as the audit unfolds.
Prior to the shake-up, UEDCL’s leadership structure was headed by Mwesigwa, with Eng. Tibyakinura Protaze overseeing technical operations, while Rwakakooko—then operating as Joselynne Rwabwogo—handled the commercial portfolio.
Other key figures included Boniface Barongo, Jonan Kiiza, and Justine Nakagiri Ssemwanga in human resource, corporate affairs, and internal audit respectively.
Energy analysts say the restructuring reflects a broader attempt by government to reassert control and restore confidence in UEDCL at a time when expectations are high and tolerance for inefficiency is shrinking.
Yet even as the leadership turbulence unfolds, the utility remains pivotal to Uganda’s electrification ambitions.
By early 2026, UEDCL had built a customer base of about 2.4 million and posted revenues estimated at Shs1.71 trillion.
The company has also implemented a roughly 14 percent tariff reduction, a move officials argue is intended to ease the cost of power and stimulate industrial growth.
Going forward, attention is expected to centre on reducing distribution losses, clearing connection backlogs, and improving supply reliability—key pressure points that will likely define the success or failure of the post-Umeme transition.
For now, officials insist that despite the ongoing audit and management changes, electricity distribution across the country remains stable.
