Solar-powered street lights excite Budaka residents

The installation of solar street lights in Budaka Town Council has excited residents.

The lights installation and reconstruction of the 99.23 km Nakalama  Tirinyi –Mbale road was undertaken by Dott services construction company with a tune of sh. 135 billion fully funded by the Ugandan government.

Rogers Mukose the Budaka town council mayor appealed to the residents to safeguard the lights and always report any cases of attempted theft and vandalism of the solar panels and their batteries.

‘’These lights are our assets now Dott Services has played its role, now it's upon us to guard our lights against robbers and burglars who want to exploit dark spots to execute their missions’’ Mukose said

The mayor however decried that although Dott services have installed the solar lights, it has failed to extend the tarmac to community roads of Budaka garage –Namengo catholic parish and Namengo –Babula roads as its corporate social responsibility signed in their work contract.

The chairperson business community, Abass Maderu said the installation of the lights is an indication that the town council is now migrating to a municipality status very soon. He however decried that the lights provided are few compared to what other trading centres like Namutumba , Tirinyi, Kadama and Kamonkoli got.

Fabian Bogere the chairperson of Pilawo bodaboda stage said the lights will scale down the theft of motorcycles and also helps passengers to differentiate between the genuine bodaboda operators from thieves.

Yusuf Mashege the Budaka Towncouncil Councilor said the lights have rescued Business women and men who have been operating petty businesses from goons who have been snatching their goods at night.

A sex worker who requested to conceal her name so as to speak freely to the media said the installation of the lights has saved them from some clients who have been disappearing after enjoying their services from dark spots.

A section of residents in Budaka town council expressed their gratitude saying the project has solved the problems of insecurity in the town council.

However, Dozens of residents have in the past days thronged the town to come and see the light and take pictures.

Mbulakyalo Alufakusadi, a resident of Idudi village said when he heard of the news he was forced to trek over 12 k/m to come and see the lights at night.