The Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) has announced the recruitment of 580 contractors to accelerate electricity connections across the country, a major step toward meeting Uganda’s energy access goals.
The new recruits will support the rollout of over one million electricity connections, including 100,000 funded by the Government of Uganda, 40,000 by the African Development Bank (AfDB), and a staggering 950,000 under the World Bank-funded Electricity Access Scale-Up Project.
In addition to these new connections, the contractors will help fast-track the clearance of 128,000 pending connections inherited from the privatised electricity distributor, Umeme.
According to UEDCL, this strategic move is expected to significantly enhance service delivery, improve response times to customer needs, and promote inclusive socio-economic development across all regions of Uganda.
“The deployment of 580 contractors marks a new chapter in our effort to ensure last-mile electricity connectivity,” UEDCL said in a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account. “This is not just about numbers it is about transforming lives, powering businesses, and unlocking the potential of communities that have long waited for access to electricity.”
This initiative aligns with the Government of Uganda’s long-term goal of achieving 80% electricity access by 2040, as outlined in the Uganda Vision 2040 development blueprint. Currently, national electricity access is estimated at just under 30%, with rural areas bearing the brunt of limited coverage.
Analysts view the large-scale recruitment as a sign of UEDCL’s growing role in the post-Umeme era, with the company now fully taking charge of electricity distribution and service delivery after the expiry of Umeme’s 20-year concession in March 2025.