Published on 06/12/2025
By Hakim Kyeswa
My neighbour Sarah runs a small salon in Wantoni, Mukono. For the past month, her schedule has been dictated not by client appointments, but by the erratic rhythm of the load-shedding schedule. The consistent hum of her hair dryers and clippers has been replaced by the frustrating silence of a powerless workspace.
Her story is not unique; it is echoed in the darkened shops of Kikuubo, the stalled production lines in Namanve, and the homes where students huddle near windows to catch the fading evening light. This widespread pain forces us to a difficult but necessary admission: as a nation, we were not ready for the immediate and full burden of managing our electricity distribution.
The decision to bring this critical service under national stewardship through UEDCL was, in principle, a sound one. It aligned with our broader vision for economic sovereignty and addressed genuine public frustrations over the years. The desire for a Ugandan company to handle Ugandan power is a patriotic impulse we all share.
However, good intentions must be matched by meticulous execution. The evidence on the ground is stark. The increase in load-shedding is not a perception but a daily reality, pointing to a hasty transition that outpaced our operational readiness.
Let us look beyond the political rhetoric to the tangible facts. While our generation capacity stands impressively at over 1,300 MW, a surplus we rightfully celebrate, the system is breaking down at the point of delivery. UEDCL inherited an aging network that requires massive, sustained investment.
More critically, it inherited the responsibility without the immediate financial and technical muscle to flex. The specialized crews, the vast inventory of transformers and cables, the logistics for rapid response—these are not built overnight. The result is a tragic paradox: our dams are full, but our homes and factories are dark because the pathway for that power is clogged and fragile.
The economic cost of this unreadiness is measured in more than statistics; it is measured in the despair of a baker watching a batch of bread ruin, the anxiety of a clinic struggling to keep vaccines cool, and the dwindling profits of a welding workshop.
As an NRM cadre, I know that our party’s credibility is inextricably linked to the economic well-being of our people. We have staked our legacy on stability and growth. This persistent load-shedding strikes at the heart of that promise, undermining the very businesses and jobs we have worked so hard to create. It shakes the confidence of both local and foreign investors who heard our message of progress but now experience disruption.
This moment calls not for blame, but for urgent, transparent action. Our national project requires honesty. We must first publicly acknowledge the gaps in the transition plan—not as a failure of the vision, but as a stumble in its implementation. This honesty will unite rather than divide us. Secondly, we must treat this as a national emergency.
A swift, multi-pronged intervention is needed. This could involve a temporary technical partnership to bolster UEDCL’s capacity, a emergency parliamentary appropriation to fund critical grid repairs, and an accelerated rollout of the franchising model to bring in experienced operators under UEDCL’s oversight.
Finally, we must communicate relentlessly. People like my neighbour Sarah deserve to know the specific plan to restore her livelihood. They need a clear, daily schedule and a transparent roadmap to normalcy. The Ugandan spirit is resilient, but it is fueled by hope and clarity.
The vision of a self-reliant energy sector remains the correct and noble destination. But the journey requires careful preparation. Let us pause, acknowledge we took a step without tying our laces properly, and now let us secure them. By doing so, we can ensure that the light of national ownership shines brightly and steadily in every Ugandan home and business, just as we all envisioned.
FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY
Kyeswa Hakim
Head of Digital Media – Office of the National Chairman NRM.
Email: hakimkim255@gmail.com
