A cross-section of business operators in Kasese Municipality is raising concerns over mounting losses they attribute to an unstable electricity supply since Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) took over distribution from UMEME, the former power distributor.
Residents and traders in Kasese had previously relied on an alternative supply from Kilembe Investments Limited (KIL). However, in 2024, the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) announced that KIL’s distribution contract would not be renewed. Its electricity grids in Kasese, Rubirizi, Bushenyi, Mitooma, Sheema and Buhweju districts were subsequently handed over to UEDCL.
Since the transition, operators whose businesses depend heavily on reliable electricity, such as salons, cold-drink shops, dairies and welding workshops, say they have suffered frequent outages that have damaged equipment and significantly reduced income. Many report that their daily savings have sharply declined since June, blaming the downturn on inconsistent power supply.
Bashir Muhindo, a salon operator in Kasese town, says his daily savings have dropped drastically over the past five months due to persistent power interruptions, making it impossible for him to meet his business targets. He is appealing to the power distributor to address the instability as the year ends, stressing that dependable electricity is critical for sustaining livelihoods.
Molly Asiimwe, who runs a salon in Kasese Town, shared a similar ordeal. She says repeated power fluctuations damaged three hair dryers, forcing her to spend more than 300,000 Shillings on replacements. She adds that the unstable supply sometimes compels her to close the salon altogether, yet it is her primary source of income.
Muhammad Mulumba, a garage operator, says the combination of unreliable electricity and high tariffs is crippling many small enterprises across the country. He has called on UEDCL and the government to address the frequent outages, noting that he expected the distributor to provide automatic switches for machinery-dependent businesses to prevent short circuits, support that he says never materialised.
But Evelyne Mbambu, a timber trader in Kilembe Quarters, says she is hopeful UEDCL will improve service delivery, noting that power outages in her area have recently reduced. Asiimwe has also urged UEDCL to consider lowering electricity tariffs next year to help small businesses recover and operate sustainably.
She further appealed to the distributor to resume sending timely alerts ahead of planned power blackouts, observing that many customers no longer receive advance notifications and are often caught unprepared.
Meanwhile, UEDCL recently secured a loan of about US$50 million (approximately 190 billion Shillings) to support network upgrades and reinforcements, roll out smart-grid initiatives, and construct new electricity substations. According to the company, these investments are expected to improve power reliability, reduce technical losses, and unlock currently suppressed demand by the end of 2026.
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