In the heat of the upcoming election season, the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) has cautioned politicians to stop pinning campaign posters on electricity poles and wires, an act labelled as ‘illegal and dangerous.’
UEDCL spokesperson Jonan Kiiza, while addressing journalists at Uganda Media Centre on Monday September 15, 2025 said that the practice not only poses serious safety risks to the public but also to company workers.
According to Kiiza, this is a safety hazard and a violation of electrical utility regulations.
“Electric poles and infrastructure carry high voltage lines, and tampering with them for any reason including pinning posters can result in electrocution, fires, and service disruptions,” he said.
UEDCL emphasized that political campaign teams must respect utility infrastructure by using allocated public spaces for advertising and poster placement.
The warning comes amid ongoing reforms at UEDCL since taking over operations from UMEME four months ago. The company has recruited over 4,600 new staff, cleared UGX 535 billion in inherited debts, and added 110,000 new customers to the national electricity grid, surpassing targets set by the Electricity Regulatory Authority.
UEDCL has prioritized locally manufactured materials, launched an amnesty for illegal connections with more than 10,000 individuals coming forward, and is rolling out free electricity connections for low-income households, requiring a minimal wiring fee of UGX 30,000.
Infrastructure upgrades are underway, supported by a $14 million donation from the U.S. government to repair and strengthen electricity lines.
Kiiza reaffirmed UEDCL’s commitment to ensuring safety, improving service reliability, and expanding equitable access to electricity across Uganda.
