Ugandan comedian and actor Patrick Idringi Salvado has publicly called for an audit of the UMEME Yaka meters following concerns raised by media personality Faridah Nakazibwe about being overcharged on her electricity bills.
Faridah Nakazibwe recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her frustration over the rising costs of her electricity bills, which she finds unreasonable given her relatively low power consumption. Nakazibwe revealed that since 19th March 2024, she has spent UGX 1.52 million on electricity alone—a figure she believes is excessive for her small household.
In her post, Nakazibwe detailed her attempts to reduce electricity usage by cutting down on appliances such as the washing machine and electric cooker. Despite these efforts, her bills remain high, leading her to seek help from UMEME.
“Dear Umeme Ltd, I need your help. How is it possible that my small household spends 200k on power for 2-3 weeks? I was forced to give up on using the washing machine and the electric side of the cooker. The only electronics I use regularly are the flat iron, refrigerator, 2 TVs, bottle warmer, kettle, and lighting inside the house. Unfortunately, I have spent exactly 1.52m since 19th March 2024 to last night…on power alone,” Nakazibwe wrote.
Her post sparked a wave of similar complaints from other netizens who also feel they are being unfairly charged by UMEME. Among them is comedian Patrick Salvado, who echoed Nakazibwe’s concerns and called for an audit of the new Yaka meters being used by UMEME.
“We need a serious audit on these new meters that Umeme Ltd gave us. The rate at which units are consumed is ridiculous…I thought I was the only one. It’s becoming unbecoming,” Salvado stated.
Salvado’s call for an audit reflects a growing sentiment among consumers who are questioning the accuracy and reliability of the new Yaka meters. The mounting complaints have raised concerns about whether these meters are correctly calibrated or if there might be a systemic issue leading to inflated electricity bills.
As more Ugandans voice their dissatisfaction, the pressure on UMEME to address these concerns and ensure transparency in billing practices is likely to increase. Whether or not an audit will be conducted remains to be seen, but the demand for answers is clear.