UEDCL Under Fire as Wakiso Residents Endure Month-Long Blackout

Wakiso District, Uganda – Frustration has reached a boiling point in Mende Subcounty, Wakiso District, where residents of Nsekwa-Mabombwe have taken to the streets to protest a 30-day power blackout that has paralysed daily life and businesses.  

For an entire month, the area's homes, shops, and health centres have been without electricity, forcing locals to rely on costly alternatives like generators and kerosene lamps. The prolonged outage has disrupted businesses, spoiled perishable goods, and left students struggling to study at night.  

Angry residents staged demonstrations on [insert date if available], blocking roads and chanting slogans demanding immediate intervention from the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL), which recently replaced UMEME as Uganda’s sole power distributor.  

"We are tired of empty promises!" shouted one protester. "How can we go 30 days without power in this modern era? UEDCL must act now!"  

Despite multiple complaints, locals claim UEDCL has not provided a clear timeline for restoring power, only citing "technical faults" without further explanation. Community leaders have threatened to escalate protests if no solution is provided in the coming days.  

Local council representatives have joined the outcry, calling for emergency intervention from the Ministry of Energy. "This is unacceptable," said [insert local leader’s name if available]. "If UEDCL cannot handle the responsibility, the government must explain why they took over from UMEME."  

With tensions rising, all eyes are on UEDCL and the government to resolve the crisis before the situation worsens. Residents vow to continue demonstrations until power is restored.  

Have you been affected by the blackout? Share your experience in the comments.  

(For updates on this developing story, follow Salt Media Uganda.)