Kampala, Uganda: A sweeping management reshuffle at the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) has seen a significant number of former employees of Umeme, the private electricity distributor whose concession ended on April 1, 2025, appointed into new senior roles at UEDCL, the government power distributor.
Using LinkedIn profiles, corporate records and professional career histories, several officials elevated into senior acting positions at UEDCL previously served in senior and mid-level management roles at Umeme.
The appointments suggest a deliberate transition of institutional knowledge and technical expertise from the former concessionaire into the state-run electricity distributor.
An internal memo dated May 6, 2026 and signed by acting Managing Director Joselynne Rwakakooko announced eight acting appointments across technical, commercial, audit, ICT and human resource departments.
Out of the eight acting managers appointed, at least five now occupy positions directly within UEDCL’s top management structure. When Rwakakooko herself is included, the number rises to six former Umeme officials now holding influential positions within the utility.
UEDCL’s senior management currently consists of 13 top officers, meaning nearly half of its leadership now traces professional roots to Umeme.
Former Umeme Executives Take Key Roles
Leading the transition is Rwakakooko, who recently assumed the role of acting managing director. Before joining UEDCL, she held several influential operational positions at Umeme, including customer service engineering manager and head of network operations.
Professional records describe her as an experienced electrical engineer with expertise in electricity distribution, revenue optimisation, loss reduction and utility operations.
Among the most prominent appointments is Sylver Hategekimana, who was named acting chief engineering and technical services officer.
Hategekimana previously served as head of network assets development at Umeme, overseeing electricity network expansion, infrastructure upgrades and technical asset management.
Isaac Katewanga was appointed acting chief commercial officer after previously serving at Umeme as head of sustainability and ESG as well as head of regional operations. His background includes commercial operations management, sustainability reporting and regional electricity distribution oversight.
In the human resources division, Samuel Omoding was named acting head of human resources and administration. Before joining UEDCL, Omoding worked at Umeme as manager for HR projects and change, and previously served as HR business partner supporting technical and engineering departments.
The communications department also saw the appointment of Stephen Ilungole as acting head of corporate and stakeholder affairs after previously serving as Umeme’s manager for public relations and media relations.
Meanwhile, Nickson Ahabwe was elevated to acting head of internal audit after earlier roles at Umeme as risk and business continuity manager and risk advisor.
In ICT, Richard Opiyo was appointed acting head of technology and applications after previously serving as SAP materials management consultant at Umeme.
Francis Ddamulira was also appointed acting manager for applications after previously working at Umeme as financial and reporting analyst, senior data analyst and business intelligence manager.
The reshuffle further included the appointment of Christine Atuhaire as acting manager HR officer-business partners. Records reviewed indicate she also previously worked at Umeme, although her exact former role had not independently been confirmed by press time.
Strategic Continuity or Institutional Recycling?
The appointments appear aimed at ensuring operational continuity during Uganda’s post-Umeme transition by retaining personnel familiar with electricity distribution systems, commercial operations and technical networks.
However, the growing concentration of former Umeme executives within UEDCL’s senior leadership could revive broader debates about institutional independence and whether Uganda’s electricity distribution sector is experiencing genuine reform or merely a change in corporate identity.
The restructuring follows recent governance changes announced by the Ministry of Energy. On May 2, Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa revealed that government had undertaken a review of management and governance structures at UEDCL.
The ministry announced that the board chairperson had been relieved of their duties while former Managing Director Paul Mwesigwa was placed on forced leave pending a governance review.
Government subsequently appointed Stella-Marie Biwaga Cingtho as interim board chairperson to oversee the transition and stabilise operations at the utility.
The ministry described the changes as part of broader efforts to strengthen accountability, governance and service delivery in Uganda’s energy sector.
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