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Due diligence for CDC; I learnt from that, from market. Now you have multiple regulators from
the energy perspective. We used to do audits for the regulatory side of the energy sector, reg-
Airtel, UTL – so from an accounting perspective, it ulatory side of the Capital Markets Authority
gives you that exposure and ability to settle into (CMA), Uganda Securities Exchange (USE); so,
subsequent roles. you’re balancing the stakeholders; government,
customers, regulators, owners, financers and
EPSI: You have been with UMEME since 2006. That shareholders.
is 12 years. Tell us about your journey through
UMEME. EPSI: Can you explain to us how ex-
actly the Energy Sector of Uganda has
I joined as a Credit Control Manager. In that
role you have to understand the whole revenue been transformed since the turn of the
stream especially how to get your money – either century?
to extract it from debtors by force or amicably.
Then my next role was Operations Manager. Now The sector has tremendously transformed.
you’re moving away from credit management to They restructured the whole sector through the
managing engineers, managing the operations implementation of the Electricity Act of 1999
of the business, you are managing people, you’re and the Energy Policy of 2002. So, they attracted
dealing with customer service issues. Basically, private sector participation in generation. Also,
from the frontline you understand what are the they consessioned the distribution. However,
issues, how money is made and how do you bal- the government retained the policy through the
ance the stakeholder needs from an operation Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development,
perspective. and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Eco-
nomic Development. But also, the government
In December 2010, I was hired as CFO (Chief retained regulation through the Electricity Reg-
Financial Officer). There you move from opera- ulatory Authority to ensure there was a balance
tions to actually managing the financial strategy between the interest of customers, government
for the organisation. There you are now integrat- and the private sector players.
ing all you know from revenue streams, all you
know about cost structure, all you know about EPSI: Can you explain to us how ex-
making profits for the shareholders, balancing actly the Energy Sector of Uganda has
the regulatory aspects and IT. So basically, you be- been transformed since the turn of the
come the centre stage of the organisation. Then I century?
was hired as the CEO to run the organisation.
The sector has tremendously transformed.
EPSI: How has this journey through the They restructured the whole sector through the
organisation served you as the Manag- implementation of the Electricity Act of 1999
ing Director of UMEME since you were and the Energy Policy of 2002. So, they attracted
appointed to the role? private sector participation in generation. Also,
they consessioned the distribution. However,
the government retained the policy through the
So, from each of those stages you learn then
you deploy those learnt skills as you go along. Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development,
What is important is that as you move up, you and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Eco-
move from doing it yourself. You start leading nomic Development. But also, the government
and making people do it for you. You must set a retained regulation through the Electricity Reg-
direction, you must empower people, you must ulatory Authority to ensure there was a balance
delegate if possible, you must demand for results. between the interest of customers, government
That’s because you now have 1,500 people repre- and the private sector players.
senting you on the frontline. You have 1,300,000
customers, 5,500 shareholders from the stock
