The Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) Board has commenced the recruitment process for the next chief executive officer (CEO), to succeed Ms Ziria Tibalwa Waako, whose five-year two-term tenure runs out in March 2027.
However, the recruitment process, which kicked off a few weeks ago, is already clouded by allegations of opaqueness and favouritism.
The contention, according to some insiders, is that the search process is ‘merely a ritual’ as a section of senior management is crusading for and has already blessed one of the directors for the job that has thus far been advertised internally.
Another internal candidate, seen by insiders as highly suitable to turn around the entity long dogged by claims of abuse of office, board capture, self-aggrandisement by management, cliques and favouritism, but whose contract is also expiring, had their job position expressly advertised externally.
The ERA management, however, defended the advertising of the CEO position internally as a normal practice ‘to give internal competencies a chance.
‘If the Board doesn’t get enough internal competition or required competencies, then the job is advertised externally. This happens to all jobs. Healthy organisations such as ERA tend to do both. They build strong internal talent pipelines while remaining open to external expertise when strategic needs demand it,’ the company said.
On advertising externally the position of the suitor for the CEO role, ERA downplayed foul play, arguing: ‘In leadership and human resource management, this is sometimes referred to as balancing organisational continuity with organisational renewal.’
According to the job advert for the CEO role, the deadline for submission of applications is July 15, with suitable candidates required to have a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in either Administration, Engineering, Economics, Finance, Law, Management, or Environment.
They must also be a member of at least one national or internationally recognised professional body, be registered with the Engineers Registration Board of Uganda (ERB), have vast knowledge about the Electricity Supply Industry; and, have at least 15 years working experience, seven of which must be at senior management level in a credible company.
The CEO’s responsibilities include; working with senior management and staff to execute the company’s mandate; develop and recommend short strategies and objectives for the company, and lead the formulation, implementation and periodic review of the regulatory body’s strategic plan; ensuring alignment with national energy policies, Vision 2040, and the National Development Plan, now in the fourth edition.
Ms Tibalwa, who cut her teeth in the electricity sector under the Operations and Planning department of the now defunct Uganda Electricity Board (UEB) before transitioning to Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) as principal planning engineer then to ERA as director for technical regulation, succeeded Dr Benon Mutambi, whom President Museveni named Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in November 2016.
First power sector reforms
ERA, as a regulator, is one of the four agencies, alongside UETCL, Uganda Electricity Generation Ltd (UEGCL), and Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (UEDCL), borne out of first power sector reforms in 1999 that saw the unbundling of the then vertically integrated UEB.
The objective of the reforms included making the power sector financially viable, growing demand for electricity and increasing coverage, and attracting private capital investments.
ERA’s main roles include licensing all power supply industry firms, setting industry standards, enforcing and monitoring compliance with these standards, and setting and approving supply and user tariffs in the electricity market.
However, in the last months, the body has been adversely marred with chaos that have engulfed the distribution side of the electricity business, that culminated in the sending on forced leave, the UEDCL Managing Director, Mr Paul Mwesigwa, on April 30 following an increase in power losses from 15 percent to 19 percent and the attendant persistent reports of power outages nationwide.
In various audit reports, the UEDCL management under Mr Mwesigwa had variously accused ERA of, among others, sleeping on its supervision role during the 20 years when Umeme Ltd operated the power infrastructure.
The company even issued a status of network report that detailed defects within the network and related issues at around $85m (Shs315b), and the cost of spare parts and urgent repairs around $60m (Shs223b).
Meanwhile, UEDCL is stuck on the fate of Mr Mwesigwa because there is no fixed duration for forced leave under the Employment Act, and he is looking at a hefty pay in the likely case the new management pulls any move illogically.
The seven senior managers who were also sent on forced leave for one month have since received letters extending their stay out of office for another month.