LIRA, UGANDA: Lira city is looking for Shillings 400million to fix 141 non-functional solar street lights. They are part of the 292 solar streets lights that were installed under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID), a World Bank-funded program which saw the construction of several roads in Lira city.
The affected street lights are mainly along Obote avenue, Oyam road, Soroti road and Aroma lane among others. Most of them have simple problems like poor connection and exhausted batteries.
Freddie Owiny, the Lira city engineer explains that a number of the street lights have outlived their lifespan.
According to Owiny, the City Council earmarked Shillings 68million under the Uganda Road Fund to fix the street lights. He however says that they need over Shillings 400m to work on all the affected street lights.
The darkest corners of the city have now given an advantage to criminal gangs especially street kids to perpetrate vices like robbery and housebreaking, which is causing fear among residents.
Francis Edyel, a boda boda rider says that they hardly make money at night for fear of being mugged in dark places where criminal gangs stage their operations.
Michael Ojok, a businessman in Lira city is worried that insecurity may increase especially now that there are no soldiers manning the streets as was the case during the lockdown.
George Ogwal Awango, the chairperson of Kitgum boda boda stage believes that the insecurity in the city can only be reduced if the city authorities fix the broken street lights.
A bar attendant along Oyite Ojok lane, says that her customers have moved to other bars in areas with good street lights. She is worried that if this continues, his business will collapse.
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