Gulu City Seeks Shs2.2 Billion to Combat Street Light Vandalism

Gulu City is facing a severe infrastructure challenge, with a significant portion of its solar-powered street lights rendered inoperable due to widespread vandalism and component theft. Authorities are now seeking Shs2.2 billion to restore over 920 units, which were installed under the World Bank-funded USMID programme.

The city’s Engineering Department reports that since the 2016/2017 financial year, a substantial number of the 2,600 installed lights have succumbed to theft of solar panels and batteries, or have simply reached the end of their lifespan. City Engineer Eng. Christo Omara Balmoyi stated that approximately 620 lights failed due to battery depletion, while 200 were vandalised, and another 100 suffered technical malfunctions, including controller issues.

“The city requires approximately Shs2.208 billion to restore all the non-functional solar street lights,” Eng Balmoyi explained, noting that the repair of each damaged unit costs around Shs1.3 million. Stolen components, including valuable lithium-ion batteries and solar panels, have been tracked to various districts and are in high demand, particularly in areas off the national grid.

While the city has initiated repairs on 91 lights using Shs120 million, these efforts are far from sufficient to tackle the scale of the problem. Gulu City Town Clerk Innocent Ahimbisibwe emphasized the critical role of public lighting for security, economic activity, and public confidence, formally requesting funds from the Ministry of Finance for the “Gulu Shine” restoration program.

To ensure long-term functionality, Gulu City plans to allocate five percent of revenue from property rates and outdoor advertising to maintenance. Furthermore, they intend to install anti-vandal cages and launch community sensitization campaigns to deter future vandalism. The city aims to complete these repairs by June 2027 if the necessary funding is secured, a move that comes amidst rising concerns over crime, with recent incidents including violent offences and several arrests.

This story was first reported by the Daily Monitor (Uganda).