BLACKOUT HITS ALIDO-CHAWENTE KWANIA RESIDENTS VOWS TO PROTEST OVER UEDCL DELAY

Full report

Residents and business operators in Alido-Chawente Trading Center Kwania district are complaining about a prolonged power blackout, accusing the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited - UEDCL of neglecting their plight, now for two weeks.

Engwal Patrick, the LC1 Mobilizer of Alido Trading Center, said it is now about a month since UEDCL staff came and removed a component from their transformer, telling them it was faulty, but up to now nothing has been done.

Engwal said they are facing serious challenges, especially regarding electricity supply, including that those who are supposed to operate fridges are suffering greatly, and the health worker at Chawente Health Center III is also facing challenges concerning power needed to test diseases and to store vaccines that require a fridge.

Vicky Ebong, a businesswoman at Alido Trading Center who operates a wholesale shop, said her business is greatly affected by the power outage, including items that are not doing well like her fridge is not working, drinks are not cold, making customers no longer come to buy from her shop.

These residents said that two weeks ago, they wrote a petition letter complaining to the UEDCL management, and copied it to the RDC and LC5 of Kwania, but they have not yet received any response.

James Okol Otim, Councilor LCV for Chawente Sub-county, Leader of Government business and LC5 V Chairperson of Kwania District, said this complaint from residents has also reached them through the petition letter they wrote.Okol said he went with it to the UEDCL office in Apac where the concerned personnel promised to come and fix the power immediately, but up to now they have not yet come to solve the power problem that is there.

Okol said as a district, they will put more pressure on UEDCL because of this delay in fixing power, which is affecting businesses and residents of Kwania, and yet it is the government that is supposed to provide them with everything necessary to solve their problems, including things needed to eradicate poverty.

Calvin Dowan Lomilo, the UEDCL Lango Sub-Regional Operation and Maintenance Officer, when contacted by our reporter on phone, said this complaint has reached them and it is in their plan to ensure it is fixed as soon as possible.