The Uganda National Entrepreneurs and Traders Association (NETA Uganda) has issued a fierce 30-day ultimatum demanding the immediate resignation of the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) boss over persistent power outages and erratic voltage fluctuations that are decimating businesses nationwide.
Addressing journalists in Kampala, NETA Uganda President Dr. Thadeous Musoke Nagenda warned that if the UEDCL head does not step down, the association will petition the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) to investigate the utility’s leadership. Dr. Musoke revealed that while a radical one-week ultimatum was initially on the table, the board opted for 30 days to allow for a formal transition.
The ultimatum underscores a growing rage within the business community over an unreliable power grid that is destroying expensive equipment, disrupting manufacturing, and choking private investments.
To halt the economic bleeding, NETA Uganda has laid out a hardline strategy to force accountability in the energy sector:
Demand for a comprehensive, independent forensic audit of UEDCL’s entire distribution network and financial operations.
A formal petition to the IGG targeting administrative failures and alleged external interference within both UEDCL and the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA).
Legal proceedings prepared against UEDCL and the Attorney General if the state fails to stabilize the grid.
Immediate mobilization for countrywide demonstrations if the 30-day window lapses without radical changes.
NETA Uganda’s legal counsel, David Kintu, emphasized that the crisis has escalated far beyond retail shops. Crucial public institutions—including hospitals, schools, and major hotels—are operating under constant threat, facing compromised safety and severe property damage due to sudden voltage spikes.
In preparation for a massive class-action lawsuit, NETA Uganda has urged all affected business owners, hotel operators, and institutional heads to submit documented proof of financial losses and blown machinery. The association has opened a dedicated crisis desk at its Jinja Chambers offices in Kampala to compile complaints and receipts.
Traders argue that reliable electricity is the absolute backbone of industrial growth, job creation, and economic survival. Beyond the power crisis, NETA Uganda is demanding a radical overhaul of how the state treats local enterprises, calling for:
Emergency access to low-interest financing for struggling SMEs.
Fairer taxation structures and aggressive central bank intervention to stabilize the exchange rate and lower operational costs.
Elimination of counterfeit goods and simplified, corruption-free business licensing.
At the time of going to press, neither UEDCL nor ERA had issued a formal rebuttal to the association’s escalating demands.
