Former Energy Minister advocates for free electricity connections
“The lines are there, but people can’t afford to connect,” Eng. D’Ujanga told this publication.
West Nile: Eng. Simon D’Ujanga, former State Minister for Energy, has called on the government to provide free electricity connections in underserved regions like West Nile, where many households remain unconnected despite a well-established power infrastructure.
According to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, West Nile now has a power supply capacity of 90 MW, thanks to the Gulu-Olwiyo 132 kV transmission line part of the broader Kole-Gulu-Nebbi-Arua electrification project. This supply significantly exceeds the region’s current demand of just 6 MW.
D’Ujanga made the remarks following a major milestone in Uganda’s power sector: the transfer of UMEME Limited’s assets and operations to the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) on March 31, 2025, marking the end of UMEME’s 20-year concession with the Government of Uganda.
As of April 1, 2025, UEDCL, a state-owned enterprise officially assumed full responsibility for electricity distribution at and below 33 kV, as regulated by the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA).
A seasoned engineer and former Managing Director of the now-defunct Uganda Electricity Board, Eng. D’Ujanga has long championed increased access to electricity.
“Power is now available,” he stated. “I appeal to the government to allocate funds for free connections. There’s a capacity of about 60 MW in Nebbi and 80 MW or more in Arua, but people can’t benefit if they can’t afford to connect.”
He emphasized that boosting access to electricity could spur industrial development and empower households economically.
Despite Uganda’s ambitious target to raise national power generation to 52,400 MW by 2040, up from the current 2,000 MW, distribution gaps remain. Districts like Obongi still lack infrastructure, even though the broader West Nile region is now connected to the national grid.
In August 2024, over 3 million residents of West Nile celebrated their long-awaited connection to the grid via the Gulu-Olwiyo transmission line, finally putting an end to years of unstable and insufficient power supply.
However, many residents in districts like Nebbi, Zombo, and Padea are still unable to connect to the grid despite having power lines running right above their homes due to high connection costs.
“The lines are there, but people can’t afford to connect,” Eng. D’Ujanga told this publication.
Local leaders made similar appeals during the commissioning of the transmission grid in Nebbi Municipality in 2024, stressing the urgency of affordable access to electricity for development.
In response, UEDCL has announced plans to upgrade and modernize distribution infrastructure, including; repairing critical installations, replacing rotten poles and expanding substation and transformer capacity.
Eng. Irene Bateebe, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, described the transition from UMEME to UEDCL as “The Big Switch,” promising more efficient and customer-centered service delivery aligned with the National Resistance Movement’s 2021–2026 manifesto.
Hon. Dr. Canon Ruth Nankabirwa, Minister for Energy and Mineral Development, reassured the public during the handover that services would remain uninterrupted, with the Yaka prepaid metering system continuing seamlessly across telecom and mobile payment platforms.
As West Nile’s power supply expands, stakeholders are hopeful that universal access including free or subsidized connections will soon become a reality, enabling communities to harness electricity for education, business, healthcare, and beyond.
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