Uganda is grappling with a wave of power outages and load shedding as the country prepares for a major shift in electricity distribution.
On April 1st, the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Ltd. (UEDCL) will officially take over from Umeme Ltd., ending the latter’s 20-year concession.
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD) has acknowledged the recent instability, assuring the public that efforts are underway to stabilize the power supply.
According to the ministry, a spike in national electricity demand has strained existing substations, exposing weaknesses in the transmission and distribution network.
“The Ministry and its key partners have prioritized operational maintenance activities to resolve these reliability issues and improve the efficiency of our power supply system,” the ministry said in a statement.
Ugandans have long endured unstable power, especially during the rainy season. The current disruptions have intensified public frustration, with many blaming aging infrastructure and lack of maintenance.
The ministry outlined several key causes of the outages:
- Equipment failures – Faulty transformers and substations have triggered direct service interruptions.
- Insufficient network capacity – Certain sections of the grid cannot handle increased demand, leading to overloads.
- Vandalism and theft – Criminal activity along the Kawanda-Masaka Transmission Line has severely affected supply.
- Bushfires – Fires near the Gulu highway, particularly in Kiryandongo and Karuma, have damaged key transmission lines.
To address these issues, the ministry confirmed that urgent upgrades and repairs are underway. The government has also allocated funds to improve network capacity and secure the infrastructure from further damage.
“We are working closely with our partners to implement these measures quickly and efficiently,” the ministry stated.
With UEDCL set to assume control, Ugandans hope the transition will lead to more reliable service and fewer disruptions. However, the success of this handover will depend on the government’s ability to reinforce infrastructure and secure the power grid against future threats.
