news 2 June 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Lwengo Residents Threaten Protests Over Three-Month Power Outage
A crippling three-month electricity outage in Lwengo District, caused by a faulty transformer, has brought services to a standstill and led to increased crime, prompting residents and leaders to issue an ultimatum for restoration. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/lwengo-brought-to-standstill-as-three-month-electricity-outage-cripples-services-sparks-protest-threats-5482368
Residents and leaders in Lwengo Town Council are demanding the immediate restoration of electricity by the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL). A severe power outage, now in its third month due to a malfunctioning transformer, has crippled economic activities and essential service delivery.
Government institutions, including the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), courts, schools, police, and the Lwengo District headquarters, are heavily impacted. These offices are incurring substantial daily expenses on generator fuel to maintain minimal operations, with NIRA spending Shs200,000 and the district headquarters Shs150,000 daily.
The economic fallout is significant for local traders. Business owners, like Deo Ssekatawa who operates a poultry feed and maize flour milling business, have been forced to shut down entirely due to the lack of power. The outage also exacerbates financial challenges for parents preparing for the new school term, as businesses that provide their income have collapsed.
Beyond economic hardship, the prolonged darkness has led to an alarming rise in criminal activity, with residents reporting increased home break-ins. Local security personnel are finding it difficult to patrol effectively without streetlights.
Leaders have voiced strong condemnation of UEDCL’s slow response. The Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Mr. Bonny Venture Rwatangabo, criticized the company’s negligence despite multiple letters. Lwengo District Chairperson, Mr. Kizito Abasi, revealed he intervened to prevent residents from destroying power infrastructure and has issued a one-week ultimatum for power restoration, threatening to lead a protest to UEDCL offices if the issue is not resolved.
UEDCL’s Masaka regional manager, Mr. Michael Kabanda, acknowledged the problem and stated that a replacement transformer is being sourced, urging patience from residents. This report is based on information from the Daily Monitor.