By Diana Kintu
The Government of Uganda has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the reliability of the national electricity supply through a comprehensive set of measures and investments. The announcement was delivered by the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Hon. Dr. Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, during a media briefing held at the Uganda Media Centre on Tuesday, 7th October 2025.
She was accompanied by senior officials from the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) and the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA).
In her address, the Minister acknowledged the recent challenges in the sector, noting that these stem largely from the rapid growth in electricity demand and the transition following the conclusion of the UMEME concession earlier this year.
“Earlier this year, the UMEME concession that was constraining us from making large-scale interventions finally came to an end,”
Dr. Nankabirwa stated. She commended UEDCL for assuming full operational responsibility and for making significant progress in refurbishing existing systems and developing new infrastructure.
Since UEDCL’s assumption of operations, notable achievements have been registered. Over 140,000 new customers have been connected to the national grid. In addition, critical upgrades have been completed at several substations to enhance capacity and improve service delivery.
At Kakiri, capacity was doubled from 10MW to 20MW; Kabale’s substation was expanded from 2.5MW to 5MW; while Masaka Central was upgraded from 5MW to 7MW. These interventions are aimed at reducing outages and stabilising supply in the respective regions.
The Government has further outlined an ambitious plan for continued investment and modernisation of the power distribution network.
UEDCL has already secured land for the establishment of new substations in Magyigye and Kawempe. By the close of 2025, the company is expected to refurbish nine additional substations, install 518 new transformers, and expand 40 medium-voltage lines.
All procurement for these interventions will be aligned with the Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU) policy, ensuring that the majority of components, including transformers and cables, are sourced from local manufacturers to promote domestic industry.
The Minister also underscored the challenges of vandalism and illegal connections, which continue to undermine progress in the sector. She highlighted incidents in Kololo, Mukono, Masaka, and Mbarara where vandalism of transformers and power infrastructure has caused unnecessary disruptions. She called for a collective effort involving security agencies, local governments, and communities to safeguard electricity installations.
On power theft, the Minister reiterated the Government’s commitment to regularising access through the “Weterezeeee” campaign. The initiative, which allows individuals with illegal connections to legalise them without penalties, has been extended until 31st October 2025.
To date, over 22,900 Ugandans have benefited from the program, contributing to safer and more sustainable electricity access.
Dr. Nankabirwa reaffirmed that reliable electricity remains central to Uganda’s economic transformation. She emphasised that Cabinet has approved UEDCL’s five-year investment strategy, designed to modernise the distribution network, strengthen resilience, and align supply with the country’s fast-growing energy demands.
“The provision of reliable power is the heartbeat of our nation’s progress,” the Minister stated, noting that the Government will continue to prioritise energy infrastructure as a cornerstone of Uganda’s industrialisation and socio-economic development agenda.