Frustration is mounting in Lwengo Town Council, where residents have been without electricity for two weeks despite repeated promises of restoration from Umeme.
The prolonged outage has disrupted businesses, schools, and homes, prompting the community to plan a large-scale demonstration demanding immediate action.
Since the power cut, residents report receiving no concrete timeline for when electricity will be restored. Many have submitted complaints to Umeme, but these have gone unanswered.
“We’ve been given empty promises. Each time, we are told the power will be restored ‘soon,’ but two weeks later, we are still in the dark,” said a frustrated resident who has lost significant income due to the outage.
Lwengo, predominantly a farming community, has been hit particularly hard. The lack of power has stalled crop processing and irrigation, leaving farmers unable to preserve perishable goods or operate essential equipment.
“Our livelihoods depend on electricity. We can’t afford to continue like this,” lamented a farmer reliant on electricity to process maize for sale.
Placards demanding immediate electricity restoration were prominently displayed across the town early Thursday morning.
One resident warned, “If Umeme doesn’t respond soon, we’ll be forced to take matters into our own hands. This situation is unacceptable.”
Another resident added, “It’s not just Umeme’s fault. Our leaders need to step up. They should be pressuring Umeme and coordinating with district officials to resolve this crisis.”
Local leaders have not escaped community outrage. Jimmy Kateera, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Lwengo, noted that the district has also suffered, with government offices and services paralysed. "Without electricity, nothing functions as it should," he stated.
Twaha Mukasa, chairperson of Lwengo's Central Zone, emphasised that the transformer provided by Umeme has been in poor condition for years, with inadequate maintenance.
“The power cuts are a result of prolonged neglect,” Mukasa said.
“This isn’t a new issue, but it’s only gotten worse. We need proper maintenance of our electricity infrastructure to prevent future outages.”
In response to the public outcry, Umeme’s spokesperson for Greater Masaka, Richard Mawugi, addressed the situation in a phone interview.
He acknowledged the delays and the community’s frustration, promising that power would be restored before the end of the month.
“We apologize for the delay, but we are doing everything possible to address the problem. We urge residents to continue reporting through official channels so we can track and prioritize these issues,” Mawugi stated.
Lwengo Town Council ,ayor Joseph Lubega urged calm, assuring the community that he is working with Umeme to ensure the power returns to the area.
“We understand how serious this issue is. The people of Lwengo have suffered long enough, and we will not rest until power is restored,” Bazoonona said.
He encouraged residents to channel their frustrations through peaceful means while local officials collaborate with Umeme.
Despite the promises from Umeme and local leaders, residents plan to hold a peaceful demonstration tomorrow, aimed at holding Umeme and government officials accountable.
They hope the protest will compel the electricity provider to prioritize Lwengo and restore power sooner.