Itojo General Hospital and Itojo Trading Centre have now spent a month without electricity due to faulty transformers, sparking anger among residents who blocked the Ntungamo–Mbarara highway by burning tyres and dumping garbage on the road. Police were later called in to disperse the protesters.
Hospital staff say the outage has disrupted treatment, forcing many patients to return home untreated.
“The hospital uses electronic systems, so now that we don’t have electricity, patients wait too long to get services and others go back home without being attended to,” said Polly Katungi, a linkage facilitator at the hospital.
Eva Kempoko, another staff member, added that working hours had been shortened by two hours daily, worsening the backlog.
The blackout has also plunged Itojo Trading Centre into darkness, fuelling insecurity and threatening businesses that depend on electricity.
“We have reported these issues to responsible persons but we are yet to receive any response,” said LC1 chairperson Mugisha Kyafayo.
Residents accused authorities of neglect. “Yesterday they came asking for licences with guns, and we keep giving them money. However, they don’t attend to our electricity issues,” said one trader.
Protesters vowed to demonstrate again if power is not restored.
“We want electricity. If it’s not worked on, we shall demonstrate again,” warned Franko Otamundekyera.
Denis Muhumuza Savimbi, a member of the hospital management committee, said the blackout has left patients in dire conditions.
“Itojo General Hospital serves Greater Ankole, Kigezi, Rwanda, and Congo, but we have now spent one month without electricity and water. The hospital is stinking.”
District officials acknowledged the crisis, blaming repeated transformer failures.
“We engaged UEDCL and they replaced the transformer that was struck by lightning some weeks ago. However, the replacement transformer also developed issues and could not continue supplying power to the facility,” said Anthony Kushaba, Ntungamo District communication officer.
Authorities say they are still working with UEDCL to restore a reliable power supply.