Luuka, Uganda: Authorities in Luuka District have petitioned the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited over persistent power outages that have disrupted business operations and heightened security concerns in the area.
The move was led by Assistant Resident District Commissioner Umar Ntogona, who, together with local leaders, visited UEDCL offices in Iganga on Tuesday to seek answers over the unreliable electricity supply.
The intervention followed mounting complaints from residents and business owners, who say the erratic power supply has slowed economic activity across Luuka Town Council.
Local leaders, led by Muwesi Henry, LC1 Chairperson for Kiyunga Hospital Village, had earlier stormed the RDC’s office demanding urgent action.
“Power has not been reliable and this has affected people’s businesses and caused security risks in our area. That is why we sought an explanation,” Ntogona said.
Responding to the concerns, UEDCL Iganga area manager Michael Byemero Kahima attributed the outages to weak infrastructure inherited from previous operators.
He explained that Luuka is currently served by the Iganga power line, which has technical limitations. “When we took over from UMEME, we realised the line was not strong enough. There could also be issues with transformers,” Byemero said.
He pledged that a technical team would be deployed immediately to assess and address the challenges.
Concerns Over Worn-Out Poles
Leaders also raised concerns over dilapidated electricity poles in areas such as Buwala Village in Irongo Sub-county, which pose safety risks to residents.
Byemero acknowledged the issue and committed to replacing the worn-out infrastructure, noting that the matter had previously been raised by Luuka Woman MP-elect Annet Nabirye.
Muwesi Henry commended RDC Ntogona for taking swift action in responding to community concerns and engaging UEDCL management. “I thank the Assistant RDC for taking up this matter and securing a meeting with UEDCL. We are pleased that the manager listened to our grievances and pledged to act,” he said.
He added that residents are hopeful the commitments made will translate into lasting solutions to the long-standing power challenges.
With electricity remaining a critical driver of local economic growth, leaders emphasized the need for urgent and sustained intervention to stabilise power supply in Luuka.
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