UETCL eyes new slate after ringing changes

Erstwhile Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) managing director George Rwabajungu and four other top company officials have been replaced in the company’s latest structuring move.

In an August 10 internal memo, Mr Kwame Ejalu Ejuku, the UETCL chairman board of directors, described the departures as “resignations.”

They include Mr Valentine Katabira, the company’s erstwhile deputy managing director, who retired on August 8 upon clocking the mandatory retirement age of 60. He had been with the company since 2001.

“The resignation of members of top management has presented the Board with an opportunity to refresh and strategically realign and cure the substantive incompatibility and cause efficiency in job duties and responsibilities,” Mr Ejalu wrote, adding that the move “is meant to re-engineer all the company business processes with immediate effect.”

In the new changes, Mr Michael Taremwa Kananura, appointed as new managing director in an acting capacity, replaces Mr Rwabajungu. Mr Richard Matsiko, appointed as acting deputy managing director, replaces Mr Katabira.

Mr Daniel Kisira, appointed as acting manager in-charge of project implementation (with immediate effect), replaces Mr William Nkemba, who had held the same position since July 2013. Mr Abdul Karim Jumbo was appointed acting manager in-charge of  ICT (with immediate effect). He replaces Mr Peter Igibolu, who has been serving as the company’s ICT manager from December 2019. 

Elsewhere, Mr Denis Okot was appointed the acting manager of operations and maintenance (with immediate effect) to replace Mr Matsiko.

Mr Kanarura, a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and a member of the Association of Certified Accountants, has been serving at the company as chief finance officer, manager and facilitator before the new assignment. He also served at Uganda Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd (UEDCL) between 2019 and 2021. He also logged time between 2012 and 2019 at the Electricity Regulatory Authority.

Mr Matsiko, the new acting deputy managing director, had until August 9 and from August 2017 worked at the company as manager of operations and maintenance.

The new management team becomes the first set of changes that the new UETCL board of directors is enforcing after taking office at the backend of April.

A source at the company told Saturday Monitor that the new Board—at the behest of Mr Ejalu—is contemplating “systemic and drastic changes” in UETCL’s human resource structure. This follows the recent financial and human capital mismanagement drama that rocked the company.

In the internal memo, Mr Ejalu said the new changes are “driven by the rationality of efficiency to allow for maximisation of wanted benefits in developing a good corporate governance culture at the company…”

In April, the Finance ministry appointed Mr Ejalu and five others on UETCL’s Board of Directors. This followed the resignation and termination of contracts of members of the former Board led by Mr Peter Ucanda a month earlier.

The new Board that has Mr Ejalu at its helm also has Achiro Shano Loka (member), Mr Innocent Yokutum (member), Ms Sylvia Nabatanzi Muhebwa, Mr Julius Mukooli (from the Finance ministry) and Ms Cecelia Menya. The previous board members included Mr Ucanda (chairperson), Mr Chris Mugisha, Ms Sarah Irumba, Mr Richard Santo Apire, Ms Grace Achieng Obura, and Mr Abdon Atwine.

The new management team reportedly received instruments of power on Thursday. Attempts by Saturday Monitor to get comments from Energy ministry officials were unsuccessful by press time.