Mbarara Residents Decry Persistent Power Disruptions as Utility Begins Three-Month Maintenance

Many say the unreliable electricity supply, which has worsened over the past month, is hurting businesses and daily life.

Residents and business owners in Mbarara city are frustrated by persistent power outages, blaming Umeme for what they call uncoordinated and prolonged disruptions.

Many say the unreliable electricity supply, which has worsened over the past month, is hurting businesses and daily life.

Some residents have threatened protests, citing erratic outages without prior notice.

“I live in Katete. How can power go off 20 times in one day, and we are expected to remain patient?” one resident asked.

Another added, “People act out when they are pushed beyond their limits. If they expect us to understand, then they should also try to understand what we are going through.”

Simon Ssezi, chairman of the Mbarara City Traders Association (MBACITA), warned that business owners are running out of patience.

“Very soon, I will organize a peaceful demonstration against Umeme. We will go to their offices for a clear explanation about this hide-and-seek service delivery,” Ssezi said.

“We pay taxes, yet we are treated like this. Either let the power be off so they can fix their machines or let it stay on so businesses can operate.”

Umeme's operations manager, Engineer Jophes Muhindo, acknowledged the ongoing disruptions, attributing them to upgrade and maintenance work at the Mbarara North Substation by Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL).

“These maintenance works involve upgrading one of the transformers from 20MVA to 40MVA, which affects power reliability in Mbarara and surrounding areas,” Muhindo said.

“The works are expected to last three months. In the meantime, power may be unstable due to the use of a single 20MVA transformer, which risks overloading.”

He urged residents and business owners to be patient, saying the upgrades would ultimately improve service.

“We apologise for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work to enhance power reliability.”

Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has directed the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development to present a detailed report on the transition from Umeme to Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL).

The transition, set for April 1, 2025, will see UEGCL take over power distribution across the country.

Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa has assured Parliament that preparations are on track.

Currently, several areas in Mbarara, including Katete, Kakoba, Rwentondo, the central business district, and Rwobuyenje, have experienced total blackouts for three days, while others have faced intermittent supply.

Affected businesses include salons, dairy processing plants, ice cream vendors, printing shops, and those relying on online transactions.

Many operators say the outages are pushing them to the brink, with no clear solutions in sight.