Outrage in Tororo as Three-Day Power Outage Cripples Businesses and Destroys Stock

Tororo Municipality and its surrounding areas have been plunged into darkness following a destructive storm that struck on Sunday night. The heavy rain and strong winds lasted for more than three hours, blowing off rooftops and toppling over 20 electric poles across neighborhoods such as Bison, Kasoli, Water Village, and along the Tororo-Malaba Road.

The resulting three-day power outage has severely disrupted daily life and brought commercial activities to a standstill. Local business owners, including barbers, salon operators, welders, and phone charging station attendants, have reported heavy financial losses as they sit idle without electricity to run their equipment.

Traders dealing in perishable goods have borne the heaviest brunt of the blackout. Ms. Mary Awino, who manages a cold storage facility at Tororo Market, lamented losing stock worth millions of shillings after her stored fish and chicken rotted away in the unpowered freezers.

Residents have also raised concerns about security and children’s education, as families are forced to rely on dangerous candles to light their homes at night. Local leaders have criticized the slow response from the power distribution agency, pointing out that an extended blackout in a major municipal area hurts the local economy and stalls industrial activity.

An official from the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) station in Tororo explained that the storm caused extensive damage, including snapped wires and tripped transformers. Reinforcements from Mbale were brought in to help clear the wreckage, with authorities promising to restore supply. More details can be found in the Daily Monitor.