Residents of Buyaaya Village in Buwama Town Council, Mpigi District, can finally breathe a sigh of relief after electricity was restored following weeks of outage caused by suspected vandalism of power infrastructure.
The blackout, which began on January 28, 2026, affected more than 800 residents and disrupted daily life and livelihoods.
Locals alleged the incident was politically motivated, linked to the recent parliamentary elections.
According to residents, individuals who had previously facilitated electricity connections reportedly tampered with the transformer serving the village and felled two transmission poles in the Mitayimbwa area shortly after the elections.
The situation prompted residents to petition Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) for urgent intervention.
Police also launched investigations into the sabotage, arresting at least one suspect who is expected to be arraigned in court.
UEDCL officials responded by replacing the vandalized poles and reconnecting electricity to the affected areas.
During a community engagement meeting, Masaka Regional Manager Benjamin Busingye reminded residents that electricity infrastructure belongs solely to UEDCL and is not privately owned.
He strongly condemned the vandalism and warned that anyone found responsible would face prosecution.
UEDCL spokesperson Jonan Kiiza echoed the warning, stressing that destroying electricity poles amounts to damaging government property and carries serious legal consequences.
Mpigi District Police Commander Robert Kuzaala confirmed multiple arrests and urged residents to avoid taking the law into their own hands.
With power restored, authorities hope the incident serves as a reminder that public infrastructure is a shared community lifeline, not a political tool, and must be safeguarded.
