Residents of Central Zone in Lwengo Town Council have welcomed the restoration of electricity after spending nearly three months without power following the breakdown of a transformer.
The power outage had disrupted businesses, government operations and household activities, prompting residents to petition authorities and demand urgent intervention from the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL).
Earlier this month, residents had threatened to pull down electricity poles if UEDCL failed to replace the faulty transformer, saying the prolonged blackout had caused financial losses and increased insecurity in the area.
The outage affected several key government institutions, including the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), police, courts, Lwengo District headquarters and the Resident District Commissioner’s (RDC) office.
Residents told this reporter that businesses had suffered as traders relying on electricity were unable to operate, while darkness at night created opportunities for criminals.
Following the complaints, Lwengo District Chairperson Abasi Kizito issued UEDCL a one-week ultimatum to restore power, warning that he would lead residents in protests if the company failed to act.
UEDCL later responded by installing a new transformer, restoring electricity supply to the affected area.
Residents expressed appreciation to journalists who highlighted their concerns and helped draw attention to their plight.
However, they raised concerns about the capacity of the newly installed transformer, saying it appears similar in size to the one that broke down and may not adequately serve the growing demand in the area.
They appealed to UEDCL to consider installing a bigger transformer to prevent another prolonged blackout.
The Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Lwengo, Bonny Venture Rwatangabo, confirmed that “normal activities had resumed following the restoration of power.”
He thanked the government for responding to residents’ concerns and addressing the disruption.