KYAMBOGO UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

INTERNSHIP REPORT

BY

KEMIGISHA ADELLA GLORIA

REG NUMBER 16/U/3844/BEK/PD

BACHELORS OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS

UGANDA ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION COMPANY LIMITED

METERING AND PROTECTION

INTERNSHIP REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL

SCIENCES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE AWARD
OF BACHELORS IN ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS AT KYAMBOGO UNIVERSITY

AGENCY SUPERVISOR: MR. ONYAIT JOSEPH

ACADEMIC SUPERVISOR: MRS.MBABAZI CATHERINE

JUNE – AUGUST, 2019

 DECLARATION
I Kemigisha Adella Gloria declare to the best of my knowledge that this field attachment report is
prepared by me and has never been submitted to any institution for any award.

Citations, quotations and references to other people’s work and ideas used have been acknowledged in
the reference section.

Sign…………………

Date…………………

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 APPROVAL
This is to certify that Kemigisha Adella Gloria has been under my close supervision and guidance in
the course of internship program.

FIELD SUPERVISOR

MR. ONYAIT JOSEPH

SIGNATURE:................................................

ACADEMIC SUPERVISOR

MRS. MBABAZI CATHERINE

SIGNATURE………………………………

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 DEDICATION
This study is dedicated to my beloved parents Mr. Muhumuza Polly Kararka and Mary Muhumuuza
for their persistent financial, parental and physical support up to this level of my academics. I further
dedicate it to my friends that have been there for me like Rosern, Debbie, Viola and so on, my brothers
like Allan Kateeba, sisters like Juliana Generous, Adrine, Privah and many others, my fellow internees
at the organization like Daisy, Anitah, Martin , and also staff members Godfrey and Joseph thanks for
being there for me and all my lecturers at Kyambogo University, You have been an encouragement to
me through your hard work, commitment and wisdom. Without you, I would have not reached where
iam now, God bless you all.

Thank you.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Gratitude goes to the organizational field supervisor Mr. Onyait Joseph for selflessly mentoring me
and the Academic supervisor Mrs. Mbabazi Catherine for the academic support.

My close associates Marvin, Daisy for the spirit of teamwork that prevailed, all the staff of Uganda
Electricity Distribution Company Limited as well as the Metering and Protection Department. And for
everyone who wished me well during this exercise that may be spiritually, financially and
academically especially Mr. Joseph Onyaiti, May the Almighty God bless you all. Finally, I do take
the honor to acknowledge my Dad Muhumuza Polly Karaka and family. May God protect you so that
you may fully enjoy the fruits of your children.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION.......................................................................................................................................i
APPROVAL.............................................................................................................................................ii
DEDICATION.........................................................................................................................................iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.......................................................................................................................iv
LIST OF ASSYNOMS/ABBREVIATIONS..........................................................................................vii
CHAPTER ONE.......................................................................................................................................1
1.0 INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
1.1 Background of Field Attachment....................................................................................................1
1.2 Objectives of the Field Attachment.................................................................................................2
1.3 Background of the organization of field attachment.......................................................................2
1.4 Organization Culture.......................................................................................................................3
1.5 ORGANISATIONAL GENDER....................................................................................................4
1.6 Services or products offered............................................................................................................4
1.7 ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE.............................................................................................4
1.8 ORGANISATIONAL CHART.......................................................................................................5
1.9 THE MAIN ACTIVITIES DONE IN THE COMPANY...............................................................6
1.9.1 The Main Activities done in the operation under stores department........................................6
SECTION TWO........................................................................................................................................7
STUDENT’S EXPERIENCE...................................................................................................................7
2.1 Title or position occupied in an organization..................................................................................7
2.2 Duties and responsibilities...............................................................................................................7
2.3 Supervision levels and relationship with supervisor.......................................................................8
2.4 Work Team and its composition.....................................................................................................8
2.5 Working relationship among team members/ staff.........................................................................8
2.6 Authority levels to the student.........................................................................................................8
CHAPTER THREE.................................................................................................................................10
EVALUATION ON FIELD ATTACHMENT.......................................................................................10
3.1 Level of accomplishment of duties and responsibilities...............................................................10
3.2 New knowledge and skills gained in each of the duties and responsibilities................................10
3.4 Relatedness of university’s taught programs in the field of work.................................................11
3.5 Challenges faced and how managed.............................................................................................12
3.5.1 Challenges faced by the company..........................................................................................12
3.5.2 Individual challenges..............................................................................................................13
3.6 Benefits gained from the field attached.........................................................................................13
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CHAPTER FOUR...................................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................................14
4.1 Conclusions...................................................................................................................................14
4.2 Recommendations.........................................................................................................................14
4.2.1 To the University....................................................................................................................14
4.2.2 To the Organization (UEDCL)...............................................................................................15

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 LIST OF ASSYNOMS/ABBREVIATIONS
UEDCL-Uganda Electricity Company Limited

Umeme-Uganda’s Main Electricity Distribution Company

MD- Managing Director.

CS- Company Secretary.

CFO- Chief Finance Officer.

CTSO- Chief Technical Service Officer.

PFO-Principal Financial Officer.

PTSO-Principal Technical Service Officer.

REA- Rural Electrification Agency.

SPO-Senior Principal Officer.

M&P officer- Metering and protection Officer

TM-Territory Manager.

RCSO-Regional Customer Service Officer.

UEGCL- Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited

UETCL-Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited

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LIST OF FIGURE

Fig1.1 Organizational structure of UEDCL

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 CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited is a limited liability company incorporated in
Uganda under the Companies Act. UEDCL owns the 33KV and low voltage electricity
distribution networks and all the operational assets associated with the business currently leased
to Umeme Ltd. The Company monitors Umeme Ltd and other Concessionairies in Uganda,
directly distributes of power in eight territories covering over 60 rural and border districts,
operates a modern pole plant at Lugogo, and executes key rural electrification schemes on behalf
of Government of Uganda.

1.1 Background of Field Attachment

Field attachment is defined in Kyambogo University approved Guidelines for field attachment as
the field based practical work carried out by staff and students for the purpose of teaching and or
research in places outside the university control but where the university is responsible for the
safety of its staff, students and others exposed to their activities. It is hoped to help students
relate academic programs they study to actual work setting and thus appreciate their
applicability.

Field attachment avails students with the opportunity of experiencing the real life of work by
letting them have a hand on experience of what they learn in class. The students are taught
various concepts, theories and calculations and subsequently assessed. However, there is need
for internship to help them get a hand on experience to equip them with job market demands and
challenges and help them learn those vital aspects in the job market that are not taught at school
such as integrity, confidence, teamwork, interpersonal relations, among others.

Internship brings a deeper understanding of the concepts taught in class such as report writing,
Taxation, Information Technology, Business Statistics, Business Communication, Organizational
Theory, among others. The exposure the students get from internship will help them meet the job
requirements of the potential employers because it adds value to them which makes them unique
and relevant in the job market where experience is the order of the day.

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1.2 Objectives of the Field Attachment
According to the Kyambogo University Field Attachment Student’s log book 2019, the
following are the objectives of the field attachment;

 To enable students, get hands-on experience real-life situation they are expected to work in
when they graduate.
 To provide an opportunity to students to apply the principles and techniques theoretically
learnt into real-life problem-solving situations.
 To provide an opportunity to students and academic staff to interact with the stakeholders
and potential employers to appreciate field situations that will also generate information for
curricula review and improvement.
 To develop students understanding of work ethics, employment demands, responsibilities and
opportunities.
 To enhance and strengthen linkages between Kyambogo University, the internee and various
stakeholders.

1.3 Background of the organization of field attachment

UEDCL was established in 2001 by an act of the Ugandan Parliament following the break up of
the Uganda Electricity board. In 2005, Umeme took over the majority of assets and
responsibilities of UEDCL for a period of 20 years on a concessionary basis.

In 2018, the Natural Resources Committee of the Uganda Parliament weighed the benefits and
consequences of terminating that concession earlier than 2025. The committee was informed by
Joseph Katera, the UEDCL managing director that the government needed to invest at least
US$100 million on an annual basis, to maintain ongoing operations. Another US$330 million
breakup fee would be due to Umeme at that time of premature termination.

UEDCL main Objectives

 The overall objective is to promote efficient and promote efficient and productive use of
electricity for social and economic development.
 To distribute and manage electric power to the local communities in a cost-effective manner
and later contribute social economic empowerment and improved living conditions of the
people in the central service territory where Rural Electricity lines have been extended.

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 To assist in the utilization of electricity for investment creation and institutional development
and in the medium to long term, to link with the government through REA and engage in
expansion of power to new potential areas.

OTHER OBJECTIVES

 To manage REA territories

 To monitor Umeme Ltd and other Concessionairies in Uganda
 To manage the power distribution sector thus managing the Umeme

THE LOCATION OF UEDCL

UEDCL Towers are located at the 6th floor, plot 37 Nakasero Road, Kampala 7390 Uganda.

UEDCL GOVERNANCE

UEDCL is governed by a seven-person board of directors whose chairman is Francis

Tumuheirwe. The managing director is Joseph Katera.

UEDCL VISION

A sustainable cooperative providing multi-technology power and other utility services to her
members and the general community.

UEDCL MISSION

To provide economical and reliable power supply and support services to our members and the
entire community.

1.4 Organization Culture

Values, beliefs and practices members cherish and define and give UEDCL identity are
abbreviated as CITIE defined as;

Client care: Attend to client needs fairly and professionally in a timely manner.

Integrity: Be honest, transparent and accountable in the execution of work

Teamwork: Support and respect each other.

Innovativeness: Use creative approaches in addressing clients’ needs.

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Excellence: Deliver a high standard of performance that exceeds clients’ expectations

1.5 ORGANISATIONAL GENDER

UEDCL is an equal opportunity company whereby it employs both males and females,
physically upright and the disabled without any segregation and recruitment is done on merit
without any bias. UEDCL has a total of around four hundred employees with a ratio of male to
female 5:1.

1.6 Services or products offered

Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited distributes power to all citizens, provides the
treated electric poles, materials such as transformers, meters and so on to clients and manages all
REA territories.

1.7 ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

UEDCL is a government company headed by the MD- Managing Director who governs all the
departments within the company. The company comprises of 6 departments and these include

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 1.8 ORGANISATIONAL CHART

Board

MD

Company’s CTSO
Chief Finance Officer
Secretary CS
CFO

PTSO
PFO

Metering and Protection

Territory Manager

Metering and protection

Officer Station Manager

Metering and protection Technical Assistant

Technician

Lines man

Assistant Lines Man

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1.9 THE MAIN ACTIVITIES DONE IN THE COMPANY
UEDCL manages the power distribution sector where the company manages all the Umeme
Assets, manages REA territories, promotes efficient and productive use of electricity for social
and economic development, monitors Umeme Ltd and other Concessionaires in Uganda,
distributes and manages electric power to the local communities in a cost effective manner,
contributes social economic empowerment and improved living conditions of the people in the
central service territory where Rural Electricity lines have been extended assists in the utilization
of electricity for investment creation and institutional development and in the medium to long
term, supplies the treated electric poles at Lugogo, links with the government through REA and
engages in expansion of power to new potential areas.

1.9.1 The Main Activities done in the operation under stores department
 To receive and keep updated record of stock items in the company’s main stores.
 To issue materials as per standard stores procedures and guidelines.
 To prepare stores accounts every month.
 To prepare daily and monthly reports on stores status for management decisions.
 To identify risks and eliminate any likely incidents of material loss.
 To keep close supervision of the security of the guards to ensure safety of stocks at the stores.

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 SECTION TWO
STUDENT’S EXPERIENCE
2.1 Title or position occupied in an organization.
The internee was under the supervision of the metering and protection technician under Metering
and Protection department.

2.2 Duties and responsibilities

The internee was welcomed to UEDCL, oriented and taken through the oath of secrecy over
indoor activities of UEDCL and then deployed to the Technical services where she was supposed
to work in the Metering and Protection Lab at Butto office.

At the metering and protection, the internee was again oriented by his immediate supervisor Mr.
Onyait Joseph. Then after she was assigned duties.

The internee performed the following activities while in the metering and protection Lab;

 Reading books and documents such as Annual report and the Accounting manual from which
the internee got information about UEDCL such the background, mission, vision, goals,
objectives, performance, financial statements, projects, donors, budget, among others.
 The internee was able to travel to different fields such as to Bukwo office whereby she was
able to collect information on some transformers and attend the meetings with us.
 The internee was taught how to organize documents and office table, staple, print and
photocopy documents in a professional manner.
 The internee was responsible to submit mid report to the human resource supervisor at the
end of the month.
 The internee was taught how to issue materials whereby she was able to give out materials to
clients and kept monitoring the containers.
 The internee was taught how to test the meters. That is three- and single-phase meters using
parturition system on the computer.
 The internee was able to write the monthly reports on the three phase meters after the field
study.
 The internee was responsible to record and enter the meter serial numbers into the computer
before testing them.

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 The internee wrote, typed, printed and submitted the internship progress report to the human
resource supervisor training in the fourth week of her internship.

2.3 Supervision levels and relationship with supervisor.

UEDCL working environment is characterized by close supervision by the internees’ immediate

supervisor who ensured that the internee completed the tasks assigned to her in a high-quality
status and in time given. The internees were prohibited from non-work related conversations
during work hours, which the internee adhered to.

During the course of the internship, the internee was given tasks to perform with clear
instructions on how to perform them and the supervisor evaluated by complementing upon
completion of the task.

The supervisors and officers were very enthusiastic to train and guide the internee. The internee
enjoyed a mutual and parental relationship with her supervisors and officers.

2.4 Work Team and its composition.

The whole team comprised of eleven females and fifteen males from different universities
pursuing different programs, who we interacted and shared their learning experiences and
blended their skills to accomplish tasks assigned to them by the supervisors. The team in the
Metering and Protection Department were three (3) all females.
The Metering and Protection Lab also included the field supervisor and other officers of the
Technical Services.

2.5 Working relationship among team members/ staff

There is a high level of integration, professional interdependence and respect among the staff at
UEDCL. The officers know their duties and do them with minimum supervision because they are
committed to excel.
2.6 Authority levels to the student
Before any authority was granted to the intern, she was subjected to thorough orientation to
equip her with the relevant skills to enable her handle the tasks she is to perform.

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The internee was given a password to open the computer to use before starting all computer
related works but she was not allowed to access the computer when not told to do so.
None work related activities were not allowed during working hours.

The internee was not allowed to access the lab in the absence of the metering and protection
technician. The organization maintains an open-door policy. The internee had access to all the
offices and officers and relevant information such as books and educative meetings.

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 CHAPTER THREE
EVALUATION ON FIELD ATTACHMENT
3.1 Level of accomplishment of duties and responsibilities

During the internship, the internee was assigned with duties and responsibilities whose time
frames of accomplishment were set and varied from hourly, daily and weekly.

With the guidance of the supervisor and other officers, the internee was able to complete the
tasks assigned to her and submit the results to the assigning authority within the given time.

The internee took full responsibility of all her duties and at times even worked past the departure
time where needed.

3.2 New knowledge and skills gained in each of the duties and responsibilities.
The internship presented the internee with immense opportunities to acquire skills and
knowledge as explained below.

Interpersonal skills

The internship gave the internee the opportunity of interacting with new and totally different
people as she interacted with different staff, internees from other universities and clients that
come to pick materials from the store. The internee learnt office conduct.

Writing skills

The internee submitted weekly attendance report and progress report which improved her
writing skills.

Analytical skills

Most of the work the internee did required this particular skill whereby she was able to gather
information on the meters, analyze it and make conclusions on the right data.

Coordination skills

The internee was assigned the task of coordinating other internees and workers in the Metering
and Protection which enhanced her coordination skills.

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Records management skills

The internee was given tasks such as filing forms in their respective files, recording meter and
seal numbers in the recording book.

Confidentiality

The internee was made to take an oath of secrecy over indoor activities of UEDCL which helped
her learn the impotence of confidentiality in the company.

Computer skills

The internee interacted with the computer in the performance of the tasks assigned to her for
example testing the meters on the computer using parturition system, typing reports, which
improved her typing skills and applicability of the Microsoft packages of MS Word and Excel
learnt at school.

Communication skills

The internee interacted with various officers on a daily basis while issuing and receiving
materials to and from clients, attending weekly staff meetings .This improved the way she used
to talk to people of different profiles, address them and pass on information with courtesy and
politeness.

Time management skills

The internee was able to learn that time management is the most important tool in the public
services or any other workplace hence she was able to acquire completion of work in time under
minimum supervision.

3.4 Relatedness of university’s taught programs in the field of work

While at UEDCL particularly in the Metering and Protection, the internee realized a great
relationship between what is taught in school and real work. While doing tasks assigned to her,
the internee applied course units learnt at school especially project planning, economics,
Statistics, Communication Skills and organizational theory.

Computer applications such as MS Excel and Word enabled the internee in data entry, typing
reports and sending emails.
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The internee applied project planning, Taxation, and Statistics while preparing the budget reports
especially calculation of the payback period.

Communication skills enabled the internee to express herself while interacting with different
categories of people and writing reports. It also helped her appreciate the conduct of meetings.

Organizational Theory enabled the internee in office management, following hierarchy in the
organization, coordinating other internees, accomplishing duties delegated to her by her
immediate supervisor and organizing as she did file.

3.5 Challenges faced and how managed

3.5.1 Challenges faced by the company.

 Power theft whereby some clients are always caught in selling electricity power through
faking their meters with wrong figures so as to dodge some payments thus bringing loss to
the company.
 Loss of lives by lines men due to lack of safety equipments, electric shocks and so on.
 Inadequate safety gloves while testing the meters on live power whereby short circuiting
occurs thus putting technicians’ lives on risk.
 Material theft from stores whereby some people are caught selling the Company’s materials
from stores such in Butto and Lugogo.
 Travelling long distances on bad slippery roads when going to the fields upcountry whereby
people get stuck on the way.
 Power blackout. Power being on and off sometimes cause short circuiting and delay of work.
 Limited facilities such as computers at Butto office. This slows down service delivery as the
clients need to with stand the long queues at the serving point which makes them too at times
give up due to much time wasted.
 Use of old vehicles when travelling long distances to the field which at times break down on
the way.
 Inadequate resources, that is safety gloves are few which slows work and puts workers’ lives
on risk while testing meters.

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 Availability of few workers. UEDCL has few workers especially in metering and protection
laboratory, stores which slows down work and delays serving of materials to clients.

3.5.2 Individual challenges

 The biggest challenge the student faced is relating what we study in class and action on
ground. This was a challenge as some concepts are applicable while others are quite difficult
to be applied. However, the supervisor was always available to collect and re-direct me
whenever I request for clarity.
 Hotness of containers especially when it would shine a lot that was during stock taking and
issuing of materials.
 Failure of an optical fibre to communicate with meters used to delay the workers whereby
we would test few meters than the number in plan in a day.
 Working on alive electricity when testing meters which used to put the students’ lives on risk
 Language barrier especially with clients who were not well conversant with English whereby
the supervisor would sometimes interpret to the internee.

3.6 Benefits gained from the field attached.

 The internee was able to meet new different people whereby she was able to build
relationships and friendships with them.
 The internee was able to gain different various skills such as interpersonal skills,
communication skills, problem solving skills, computer skills, analytical skills and so on.
 The internee was able to apply theory work learnt in class in real work life thus she applied
theory work practically.

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 CHAPTER FOUR
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 Conclusions
Due to the fact that many job advertisements require job knowledge and experience acquired
from the internship, training was very important as far as experience is concerned. Therefore, the
training is the starting point of the experience acquired in the future.
The training was very educative whereby an internee was taught how to test meters on the
computer using the company’s system.

The internship has been conducted successfully and, on this note, I do therefore appreciate all my
professional mentors more so my field supervisor and lecturers in department of economics and
statistics for tremendous work done towards my success.

The internee learnt writing skills, time management, communication skills, professional dressing
code at UEDCL and the like which added value on the knowledge acquired from the University.

Despite the few challenges faced, the internee can gladly say that the internship was a success
because she was able to learn and relate the trickling theory projection with reality.
4.2 Recommendations
These consist of both University and organization recommendations.

4.2.1 To the University

 The internee would like to advise that the University should encourage students to always try
to look for placements in time to avoid inconveniences.
 University supervisors should visit the students in time and if possible more than once.
 Kyambogo University should give students guidance in selecting organizations to do
internship in such that they go to organizations that will give them great training in their area
of specialization.

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4.2.2 To the Organization (UEDCL)
 UEDCL should provide more safety gloves in the stores especially in the metering and
protection lab so as to avoid power shocks.
 The company should provide camera in the stores and serious punishment on people caught
stealing to reduce material theft since the store managers can be having evidence on people
caught.
 UEDCL should also provide generators at some workplaces like in Butto so as to have an
option when power blacks out and continue with work hence avoid work delays.
 The company should provide adequate workers in metering and protection lab since there is
one technician and there is much work there.

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