ERA Takes ‘Gospel’ of Reliable Electricity to Tooro, Kigezi

2026-03-17 - 20:25

Powering Trust: ERA’s 14-Day Western Uganda Tour Puts Electricity Accountability, Security, and Consumer Voice at the Center FORT PORTAL/KABALE: For the past two weeks, the misty hills of the Kigezi highlands and the sun-drenched valleys of the Tooro Kingdom have been the center of a high-stakes dialogue aimed at fixing Uganda’s electricity “nerve center.” The Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) has concluded an intensive 14-day stakeholder engagement tour across Fort Portal and Kabale, seeking to bridge the widening gap between power providers and the end-user. Coming at a critical time when the nation is navigating life after the Umeme concession, the engagements were more than just a regulatory formality—they were a “pulse check” for a region frustrated by outages but hungry for industrial growth. Accountability at the Forefront In Fort Portal, the mood was one of demanding accountability. Political leaders, led by Resident City Commissioners (RCCs) and Local Council chairmen, put ERA on the spot over the transition to the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL). “Our people don’t care who is holding the wires; they care if the bulbs are on,” one local leader remarked during a heated session at a Fort Portal hotel. In response, ERA technical teams spent days explaining the 2026 Tariff Review, justifying the investments required to stabilize the grid. The regulator made it clear: the era of “wait-and-see” is over. With the new state-led distribution model, there is now a shorter line of accountability between the consumer and the government. Security and the War on Vandalism A significant portion of the engagement involved high-level meetings with security agencies. In both Kabale and Fort Portal, the message was uniform: electricity infrastructure is a national security asset. ERA officials revealed alarming statistics of power theft and angle-bar vandalism that have plunged entire sub-counties into darkness. The security leadership pledged a “no-nonsense” approach, involving community policing to protect the infrastructure that powers the region’s tea factories and tourism hubs. Empowering the ‘Last Mile’: Wirepersons and Media Perhaps the most impactful sessions involved the “boots on the ground”—the certified wirepersons. In Kabale, dozens of electricians were taken through the rigors of the new Installations Permit regulations. ERA emphasized that a house is only as safe as the person who wires it, warning that uncertified “kamyufu” (quack) electricians would face prosecution for endangering lives. Simultaneously, the media—the bridge to the public—was brought into the fold. Journalists from across the Kigezi and Tooro regions were trained on how to interpret tariff structures, ensuring that when the public hears about “Base Tariffs” or “Automatic Tariff Adjustments,” the information is accurate and jargon-free. The Business Voice The Kigezi Business Community and the Tooro tourism players didn’t hold back. For them, electricity is the difference between profit and bankruptcy. “We are the tourism capital of the world,” a hotelier in Fort Portal noted. “When power goes out during a peak tourist season, our reputation suffers.” ERA’s leadership reassured the business community that the ongoing substation upgrades in Kabale and the planned switchgear inspections in Fort Portal are specifically designed to minimize these “unplanned” interruptions that eat into private sector margins. A Commitment to the Region As the two-week marathon concluded, the sentiment on the ground was one of cautious optimism. By bringing the regulator from the high-rise offices of Kampala to the town halls of the West and Southwest, ERA has sent a clear signal: the consumer is finally being heard. For the people of Tooro and Kigezi, the hope is that these dialogues translate into what matters most—a steady, affordable, and safe flicker of light in every home and factory. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE TOUR: Tariff Clarity: A deep dive into why prices fluctuate and how the 2026 review affects the local consumer. Zero Tolerance: A renewed partnership with Police and UPDF to combat infrastructure vandalism. Professionalism: A crackdown on uncertified electricians to reduce domestic fire outbreaks. Direct Access: Consumers were encouraged to use the ERA regional office in Mbarara for faster grievance resolution.