The Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) has a new acting managing director.
Joselynne Rwabwogo Rwakakooko, formerly the company’s chief commercial and operations officer, was named to the top position effective May 2, 2026, replacing Paul Mwesigwa, who was placed on forced leave by the ministry of Energy and Mineral Development as part of a sweeping governance shake-up.
The announcement, confirmed in a statement signed by newly installed Interim Board Chairperson Stella-Marie Biwaga Cingtho, came just over a year after UEDCL took over the electricity distribution network from Umeme Limited.
UEDCL, which runs Uganda’s distribution network of 33kV lines and under, has faced a number of challenges to turn around the weak infrastructure it inherited from Umeme Limited.
The country has faced numerous power blackouts, which has hurt the company’s balance sheet. Announcing the exit of Paul Mwesigwa, Ruth Nankabirwa, the minister of Energy and Mineral Development, said: “These actions are part of routine governance and oversight procedures aimed at strengthening institutional performance, accountability, and service delivery within the energy sector.”
Rwakakooko’s elevation is striking for what it represents: institutional continuity in the middle of crisis. Rather than getting in an outsider, the Board promoted a leader who already understood UEDCL from the inside.
As chief commercial and operations officer, she oversaw customer service management, network operations, and emergency response systems at the company – precisely the functions under the sharpest public scrutiny.
Before joining UEDCL, Rwakakooko was at Umeme Ltd, where she served as customer service engineering manager and head of network operations.
Her two decades of combined experience at both companies means she understands Uganda’s distribution infrastructure deeply, with a strong insight of what it means to turn around an ageing network of transformers, substations, and last-mile connections that she has spent her career trying to keep functional.
Her background in commercial operations also positions her well for reducing system losses – both technical and commercial. She is a registered engineer in Uganda and a member of the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers.
Colleagues describe her as a results-oriented leader known for practical problem-solving and operational discipline – qualities that will be tested from day one as she leads UEDCL. The challenges UEDCL faces are not small.
When Umeme’s concession ended on March 31, 2025, the state utility inherited an electricity distribution network burdened by overloaded transformers, weak protection systems, and some equipment that had exceeded its design life.
An Auditor General’s report released in December 2025 added governance and financial concerns to the operational pressures, intensifying calls for decisive leadership action. The company has also struggled to source financing to invest in the distribution network.
In December 2025, though, the company and Absa bank signed a memorandum of understanding that granted the power distributor a loan of Shs 190 billion ($50 million) to upgrade the country’s electricity distribution network.
A recent five-year strategic plan by UEDCL noted that the network needs about $995 million in the next five years. The company expects a lot of this money to come from government’s support, and a bit from the tariffs that customers pay.
Beyond the operational arguments, Rwakakooko’s appointment is a statement. She becomes one of the most senior women in Uganda’s electricity sector at a time when the sector desperately needs to refresh its image and rebuild public trust.
Her elevation signals that UEDCL’s Board is prepared to reward technical competence and operational track record over other considerations. UEDCL has assured stakeholders that operations will continue without disruption.
“The Board assures stakeholders that UEDCL remains stable and fully operational,’’ it said, reaffirming commitments to safety, customer service, and reliable electricity distribution.
