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Kabale, Uganda | URN | A three-month power blackout in Habubare Trading Centre and surrounding villages in Kabale District is crippling businesses and worsening insecurity, leaving residents frustrated over what they describe as inaction by the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL).
Electricity consumers in Habubare Trading Centre and six surrounding villages in Bigaga Parish, Butanda Sub-county, Ndorwa West County, are now protesting the prolonged outage. The consumers say that three months ago, a transformer in Habubare Trading Centre was struck by lightning, disrupting the electricity supply. They add that since then, UEDCL has not responded to repair the damaged transformer.
As a result, residents say the prolonged blackout has crippled businesses and worsened security in the area. Santro Akandinda, the LC1 Chairperson of Rugyeesi Village, says the affected transformer was serving Habubare Trading Centre and the surrounding villages of Kasumo, Hakarambi, Rugyeesi, Rusisiro Upper, Rusisiro Lower, and Rwaara.
Akandinda explains that during the three months without electricity, thieves have taken advantage of the darkness to break into homes and steal Irish potatoes and vehicle batteries. He adds that repeated appeals to UEDCL officials to repair the transformer have yielded no response.
Kadulu Mashemererwa, a welder in Habubare Trading Centre, says he has been unable to work for the past three months due to the lack of electricity, despite having booked several jobs. He says his customers now accuse him of dishonesty, yet the problem stems from the unrepaired transformer.
Mashemererwa estimates that he has incurred losses of over shillings 1 million during this period. He also expresses frustration that UEDCL continues to charge a monthly service fee despite the absence of electricity.
James Kamuhanda, the LC1 Chairperson of Rusisiro Upper Village, says he owns a salon in Habubare Trading Centre and employs workers who repair electronics. He notes that all business operations have stalled due to the power outage. Jackson Robert Biryomumeisho and Abia Kyomuhendo, residents of Rwaara Village, are urging UEDCL to urgently intervene and restore the electricity supply in the area.
When contacted, Rovinsa Nshemereirwe, the UEDCL Manager in charge of Kabale Station, said she was not aware of the problem. However, she disputed claims that the area has been without power for three months and promised to follow up to ensure the issue is addressed.
