February 8, 2024 6:25 pm
By Jonan Kiiza
At the Golf Course Hotel in Kampala, hundreds of suppliers attended the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited half day supplier conference on 7 February 2024. The Minister of Energy was represented by Commissioner Engineer Wamala Julius, while the MD of UEDCL, Mwesigwa Paul, guided his top management group to an exquisitely organized occasion. During the ceremonial launch, Commissioner Eng. Wamala Julius commended UEDCL for initiating the involvement of suppliers, acknowledging their critical role in preserving a stable distribution system that can meet Ugandan society’s growing demands. Commissioner Engineer Wamala Julius conveyed her appreciation to the suppliers for their significant attendance at these kinds of events, which raise awareness of procurement-related issues and facilitate better work performance.
In a similar spirit, Mwesigwa Paul, MD UEDCL expressed gratitude to the National Social Security Fund,
Uganda Revenue Authority, Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA), Public Procurement and Public Disposal Assets Authority, and Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development for attending the supplier’s conference in 2024.
“Thank you also for the fantastic turnout, UEDCL suppliers. We are confident that
many things will have changed in our procurement procedures by the end of today’s sessions.”, Said Paul Mwesigwa – UEDCL MD.
The company now has a license from ERA to provide power in ten service territories across the country. It also manages and administers the Government of Uganda wooden pole facility in the Lugogo Industrial Area.
The audience was given an overview of UEDCL’s past, present, and future by Mwesigwa Paul, MD. He made it quite evident that the corporation is expanding quickly, which means that there are prospects for the
private sector along the same axis. According to Mr. Mwesigwa, who was looking ahead, UEDCL procurements will total $2 trillion by 2025.
As a result, it’s critical that you get ready and reiterate the company’s procurement values, which include governance, on-time payments, and high-quality products. Paul declared, “UEDCL will not compromise on these.”
The Minister of Energy represented by, Commissioner Eng. Wamala Julius, addressed the opportunities in the distribution sector in a related debate. One such opportunity was the recently launched national energy scale-up project, which will power communities and provide opportunities for the private sector. Accordingly, the conference’s timing is perfect, and you should learn important lessons from it, according to Engineer Wamala.
DFCU and Stanbic Bank Uganda Limited were the two banking partners of the UEDCL Supplier
Conference.
Every institution was represented, and the opportunity to talk with suppliers whose financial resources are crucial, particularly during project implementation, was granted. One idea that emerged from the Bank’s presentation is that all supplier businesses should be capitalized.
At 1:45 p.m., the meeting was adjourned, and Mr. Mwesigwa Paul thanked the conference partners,
Stanbic and DFCU, and gave them certificates of appreciation.
