Tension erupted in Kalagi-Kakoola town, Kyampisi sub-county, Mukono district, on Wednesday morning after residents staged a violent protest over a power blackout that has lasted more than a month.
The residents accused the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) of removing a transformer from the area and failing to replace it, leaving homes and businesses in darkness.
In anger, the protesters blocked the main road with electricity poles and logs, paralyzing transport along the Mukono–Kayunga route.
They vowed not to disperse until power was restored.
“We are tired of empty promises. Our children cannot study, and businesses are collapsing. We will not move until the transformer is returned,” one demonstrator told reporters.
The situation escalated when residents impounded a UEDCL vehicle, demanding the transformer’s reinstallation before releasing it. Some motorists en route to Kayunga were also forced to turn back.
Police and army officers from Naggalama, led by District Police Commander Edina Nyiraniza, were called in to quell the protest. Attempts to calm the crowd failed, prompting security forces to fire tear gas.
During the clashes, a woman was critically injured after being struck by a tear gas canister and was rushed to Naggalama Hospital.
The standoff lasted over five hours until area Member of Parliament Kiwanuka Abdallah Mulimamayuni intervened, assuring residents that the transformer would be restored.
“The transformer will be brought back immediately. I ask you to remain calm and allow dialogue to continue,” the MP said.
He later accused unnamed politicians of sabotaging UEDCL’s work for political gain. “It has become a habit. Some leaders frustrate the company’s efforts so they can later claim credit when transformers are installed,” he said.
Residents also complained that the prolonged outage had fueled crime in the area, leaving them fearful at night. They urged government authorities to investigate the delays and find a lasting solution.
By press time, calm had been restored, though police and army personnel remained on the ground to monitor the situation.
