For years, a chilling darkness defined life for locals on Kampala-Masaka highway, turning places like Buwama and Kayabwe town councils into hunting grounds for criminals.
A spike in violent crime, particularly a disturbing wave of murders and burglaries, had paralysed communities and crushed the local night economy. The perpetual fear, however, is now giving way to cautious optimism following the installation of solar-powered street lights. In the past, nightfall in these trading centres became a cue for residents to retreat.
Murders in Kayabwe Town Council, and relentless burglaries and thefts in Buwama Town Council and Nabyewanga Trading Centre in Nkozi Sub-county, had become regular occurrences. ‘We used to register a murder case every month, but it is no longer the case,’ Mr Simon Ssekitto, one of the residents, said in an interview at the weekend.
Mr Jumah Lule, a resident of Kayabwe Town, underscored how the darkness emboldened assailants. ‘They used to kill our people, and the assailants were using the cover of darkness to escape. But now the solar lamps have changed the situation; they have so far helped us a lot and ensured safety,’ he explains The grip of insecurity was equally felt by local traders.
Ms Margaret Kayemba, a lungfish vendor in Buwama Town Council, illustrates the economic toll. Driven by fear, she was routinely forced to close her business by 7pm. The new lights, however, have not just pushed back the shadows, but they have also extended her workday and profitability.
‘Since the solar street lights were installed over a month ago, I sell my mamba (lungfish) until 10pm, and this has improved my daily income and I get Shs90, 000 as profit,’ she says, beaming with new-found hope.
This narrative of economic revival is mirrored across the designated installation zones, which include strategic points like Mitala Maria, Mbizzinya Roadside Market, Nabusanke, and Nabyewanga Trading Centre. Mr Michael Lutalo, the principal township officer for Kayabwe, said the solar lights are helping traders extend working hours and boost business activity.
The transformation stems from a significant injection of resources: a security equipment package, primarily comprising solar street lights, valued at Shs550 million, procured by Mawokota South MP Yusuf Nsibambi in partnership with local councils. While such a donation would typically be described as an act of philanthropy, MP Nsibambi sees it as a model for proactive, hands-on leadership, contrasting starkly with the often-slow pace of central government service delivery.
‘You cannot wait for the government to deliver services because they don’t have the money to do so,’ Mr Nsibambi stated, emphasising the imperative for elected leaders to take the initiative. He expressed confidence that the solar lights would ‘transform the beneficiary towns into vibrant urban centres, thus boosting the night economy’.
Mr Nsibambi also predicted that towns like Kayabwe and Buwama will achieve municipality status in the next 10 years. The initiative highlights the severe resource constraints faced by lower local governments. Mr Abdul Rashid Nkinga, the mayor of Buwama Town Council, highlighted his administration’s struggle.
‘We tried to procure only 10 solar street lights four months ago, but they were not enough,’ he revealed, stressing that local governments simply ‘lack such huge amounts to finance big projects like this one’.
He lauded Mr Nsibambi’s intervention as a ‘developmental move’ but appealed for more support from other individuals and organisations to meet the overwhelming demand. Mayor Nkinga also said the town council made a ‘co-effort’ to procure some lights to avoid leaving the burden solely on the area MP.
Despite the widespread gratitude, some residents insist the job is only halfway done. Mr Ibrahim Nsubuga, a boda-boda rider, voiced the need for a more comprehensive security solution that pushes beyond the highway.
‘They were installed only along the highway. Let them also be erected in the ghetto areas, sharp corners, and at our homes to chase away all the elements of burglary and motor accidents on our feeder roads,’ he said.
The boda boda rider pointed out that while the main roads are safer, criminals are now shifting their operations to unlit spots like Katikannyonyi, Teketwe, and Maggale Cells in Buwama Town Council.
‘There is also need for improvement in visibility for road users at night along the entire highway right from Busega to the border of Kalungu and Masaka City by installing more street lights on unlit townships and other areas,’ Mr Nsubuga added.
MP Nsibambi urged residents to protect the new equipment, particularly the security alarms, and to refrain from vandalism.