Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo, head of the Office of the National Chairman (ONC) of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), has called for a forensic audit of Shs 1.71 trillion reportedly collected by the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL), questioning persistent blackouts, high electricity tariffs and delays in connecting consumers.
Namyalo urged Parliament to investigate how the reported funds were utilised and establish why consumers continue to experience unreliable electricity supply more than a year after UEDCL took over distribution from Umeme.
She made the remarks while addressing journalists at the ONC offices in Kyambogo on Monday, calling on government agencies to account for electricity revenues and address challenges affecting consumers.
“Ugandans deserve light, not excuses,” Namyalo said, arguing that reliable and affordable electricity was essential for households, businesses, schools and health facilities.
She questioned why some consumers who had paid for electricity connections were still waiting for meters, transformers and completed installations, despite efforts to expand access to power.
Namyalo also claimed that electricity distribution losses had increased from 15 per cent to 19 per cent, raising concerns about operational efficiency and the potential implications for electricity tariffs.
She called on the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, the Ministry of Finance and other relevant authorities to explain electricity revenues, expenditure, distribution losses and the costs associated with connecting new consumers.
The concerns follow the expiry of Umeme’s electricity distribution concession on March 31, 2025, with UEDCL taking over operations on April 1, 2025. The transition was intended to place electricity distribution under state management.
However, Namyalo questioned whether the change had delivered the improvements in reliability and affordability that consumers expected. She also called for scrutiny of the continued involvement of former Umeme management personnel in the electricity distribution sector.
She further questioned Uganda’s electricity exports to neighbouring countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, arguing that the government should explain how export commitments are balanced against domestic demand.
Uganda has invested in major electricity generation projects, including the Karuma and Isimba hydropower plants, to expand supply and support industrial development. Namyalo said these investments should translate into reliable and affordable electricity for local consumers.
She called for transparency on electricity export volumes, the revenue generated and the arrangements governing cross-border power sales.
On electricity tariffs, Namyalo questioned why consumers continued to face high bills despite investments in generation infrastructure. She urged the government to explain the factors contributing to electricity costs, including distribution losses, operating expenses and other charges.
She also called for electricity distribution operations to be managed by qualified technical professionals, arguing that the sector needed greater emphasis on engineering expertise, efficiency and reliable service delivery.
Namyalo appealed to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to intervene, warning that persistent blackouts, high electricity costs and delays in connections could undermine public confidence in government efforts to expand electricity access and support economic growth.
