KABALE, UGANDA – The Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) has issued a warning against imposters collecting illegal fees from individuals seeking to benefit from the government’s Free Electricity Connection program.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The warning comes amid frustrations expressed by some local residents, who accused the power distributor of delaying the connection process and allegedly demanding additional payments beyond the stipulated amounts outlined in the government-funded project.
Launched in 2018, the free electricity project is sponsored by the Government of Uganda with support from the World Bank. Under the program, applicants are only required to pay inspection fees of Shs. 23,000 for one category and Shs. 36,000 under the One-Pole Project.
After wiring their homes and obtaining the necessary certificates, the connection process is expected to take between two to three weeks. However, some applicants have waited nearly a year without clear explanations. The delays have been attributed to procurement challenges within the World Bank-funded project, which have affected the procurement of materials and subsequent connection timelines.
During a stakeholder engagement organized by the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) in Kabale District, it was revealed that UMEME, the former power distributor, left behind a backlog of approximately 6,500 applications for new connections in Kigezi region alone, when they handed over to UEDCL in March 2025.
Mr. Charles Kateeba, a resident of Rushambya Cell, Kirigime Ward, Southern Division in Kabale Municipality, said he applied for electricity in April 2025. Despite paying up to Shs. 180,000, he has yet to be connected as of March 2026.
“I wired my house long ago and paid the inspection fees, but they kept asking me to pay for items like the connection wires and other things I can’t remember, all costing about Shs. 180,000 or more,” he explained.
Similarly, Mr. Mbabazi Kakogoso Vanansio of Bushuro in Kitumba Subcounty, Kabale District, said his house was connected after four months of persistent complaints and paying unexplained additional money. Vanansio revealed that, beyond the inspection fee, he paid an extra shs.100, 000, and was asked to pay another Shs. 50,000 before finally being connected.
“Let them set a fixed amount for those seeking quicker connections under this program, and people will pay instead of being frustrated for so long.”
CUE IN… KAKOGOSO
However, UEDCL Southwestern Uganda Territory Manager Eng. Ian Namanya cautioned that some fraudsters, posing as middlemen, had exploited the frustration of applicants by collecting illegal money with promises to speed up the connection process.
He urged Ugandans seeking information about new electricity connections to visit the UEDCL offices in their localities directly. He also assured the public that UEDCL has developed a comprehensive plan to ensure all applicants from last year will be connected by the end of May 2026.
CUE IN…NAMANYA
Addressing concerns about frequent power outages in Kabale, Namanya attributed part of the problem to aging equipment, including old electricity poles along the transmission lines and the need to replace some transformers. He stated that the proposal to rehabilitate the entire Southwestern network was awaiting approval from the Electricity Regulatory Authority.
Ibrahim Kasita, the Principal Stakeholder Engagement Officer at ERA, confirmed that they had received the rehabilitation proposal from UEDCL but were still analyzing it due to its financial implications, which could impact end users.
“While we recognize the need for rehabilitation, we also have the responsibility to protect the rights of consumers,” he said. “The rehabilitation program might lead to an increase in power tariffs.”
CUE IN…KASITA
Last year, UEDCL took over as the official power distributor after the government declined to renew UMEME’s contract. UMEME, a private company, had managed power distribution across most parts of Uganda for 20 years, beginning in March 2005.
During a press briefing, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Ruth Nankabirwa explained that Ugandans would continue to experience power supply inconveniences during UEDCL’s transition period. She emphasized that during UMEME’s operation, the regulator limited investments to ensure an affordable buyout, leaving some parts of the network unrepaired. Consequently, some equipment has broken down, impacting the power supply system.
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