By As the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) marks 57 days of managing national electricity distribution, the utility has doubled down on efforts to fight rampant vandalism and improve affordability through targeted reforms in infrastructure, tariffs, and customer service.
Latest
Police Intervene As Fistfights Rock DP Offices Days To Delegates Conference
Why Bobi Wine Trusts Joel Ssenyonyi And David Lewis Rubongoya
UPC Calls For Moral Revival Ahead Of Uganda Martyrs Day Celebrations
Bobi Wine Signs MoU To Compensate Teso War Victims Upon Ascension To Power
Faridah Nambi Seeks Legal Costs After Court Voids Kawempe North By-Election
Mpuuga’s Democratic Front Joins Uganda’s Expanding List Of Over 26 Political Parties
Mayor Uhuru Urges Kampala Residents to Renew National IDs as Mass Exercise Begins
Speaking at a press briefing in Kampala, Mr. Jonan Kiiza, the UEDCL spokesperson, noted that acts of vandalism, particularly in central Uganda, remain one of the biggest threats to service delivery. He named Nakasongola, Luwero, Mityana, and Mukono as areas worst affected by sabotage and illegal connections.
“Destroying transformers and power lines does not only inconvenience consumers but also significantly raises the cost of service delivery,” said Mr. Kiiza. “We are deploying community engagement campaigns, barazas, and working with law enforcement to end this crisis.”
To enhance stability and modernize the grid, UEDCL has so far replaced all 116 faulty transformers it inherited in April and is upgrading substations in Mutundwe, Namanve, Kawanda, Nkenda, and Mbarara North. The utility also announced plans to connect 225,000 new customers countrywide by the end of 2025.
Amid these technical efforts, the utility is also addressing widespread consumer concerns over fast-running meters and rising costs of electricity.
Mr. Isaac Mufumbiro, UEDCL’s Head of Strategy, clarified that pricing is not arbitrary but regulated by the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA), with UEDCL’s portion of the total tariff now reduced to just 20%, down from the previous 40% under Umeme.
“Our strategic goal is to make power more affordable,” said Mr. Mufumbiro. “Currently, domestic customers benefit from a lifeline tariff of UGX 250 per kilowatt hour for the first 15 units each month. We also offer a cooking tariff of UGX 412 per unit to promote safer and cleaner energy use.”
He also acknowledged consumer complaints about pre-paid meters consuming units too quickly. “Many of the meters in use today are between 12 to 15 years old, and we’ve confirmed that at least 20,000 are faulty. We have 50,000 meters in stock and are beginning a phased replacement rollout.”
Mr. Mufumbiro added that power costs have dropped by an average of 20% across all customer categories since the first quarter of 2025, with industrial and commercial consumers also benefiting from tailored incentives.
Read Also
Mpuuga Launches Democratic Front, A New Chapter In Uganda’s Opposition Politics
Uganda Launches Online Portal As Mass National ID Registration Kicks Off
Security Operatives Hunt For Nyanzi’s Twin Sons, Intimidate Relatives In Uganda
Nalukoola Fights Back, Runs To Court Of Appeal
Todwong Rallies Lamwo Leaders to Champion Economic Empowerment, Unity
NUP Vows To Appeal Nalukoola Election Nullification, Cites Judicial Bias
One Dead, Six Injured in Fatal Mpigi Crash Involving Rogue Passenger Vehicle
“Ultimately, the more consumers use electricity, the more we can spread the cost across the base, leading to lower unit costs,” he emphasized.
In addition to physical upgrades, UEDCL has enhanced its digital footprint, allowing customers to report faults, track issues, and make payments through WhatsApp, TikTok, mobile banking, and other digital platforms. A fully digitalized contact center now operates 24/7 to address consumer queries and complaints.
With a UGX 274 billion capital investment approved for 2025, UEDCL says it is determined to transform Uganda’s power distribution sector into a modern, reliable, and customer-centric utility.
