The Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) has reported adding more than 640,000 new connections to the national grid in the six months since it assumed control from private operator Umeme in April 2025.
UEDCL’s managing director, Paul Mwesigwa, revealed that the number of connections has risen from 1,782,085 to 2,430,489, marking an increase of 648,404 customers.
He made the announcement on Tuesday, 16 September 2025, during a weekly meeting at the State House Investors’ Protection Unit (SHIPU), where government agency leaders discussed achievements and challenges.
Among other highlights, Mwesigwa noted that grid-connected households have grown from 1,687,267 to 2,327,898 over the same period. The grid length has expanded from 3,431 km to 5,140 km, while total installed generation capacity has increased from 1,362 megawatts to 2,049 megawatts. Energy losses have also decreased from 19.1% to 16.8%.
“The government took a fundamental decision to take over all the privately operated concessionaires,” Mwesigwa said. “That is a fundamental achievement; in that regard, the government has actually scored very well.”
Mwesigwa commended PPDA for accrediting UEDCL, stating that this has accelerated the process of establishing new connections.
However, despite these reported gains, there is widespread dissatisfaction among customers over the company’s performance.
Users have frequently described a return to frequent load shedding, contrasting it with Umeme’s performance. One post on X lamented that load shedding has worsened “by five folds,” with power available for less than three hours per day in some areas.
Another user in Kyanja complained of daily outages, saying “he was better off with Umeme.” Some customers attributed the issues to incompetence, with one user claiming UEDCL has seen power outages four times in a single week, compared to months without under Umeme.
A nationwide blackout earlier in September drew sharp criticism, with users calling UEDCL “more incompetent than Umeme.
Not all feedback has been negative; some users praised UEDCL for maintaining power during rains and sending outage notifications, while others noted fewer outages in their areas.
