NELSON K
Residents of Kacereere Town Council in Rubanda District have endured more than two months without electricity following the breakdown of a transformer in Kacereere Ward, sparking growing frustration and tension in the community.
Locals say the persistent blackout has crippled economic activities, slowed service delivery, and forced many business owners to relocate to areas with stable power supply. Services such as welding, photocopying, and photography have come to a standstill, leaving many residents stranded.
Amanya Joshua, a resident, told Boona Radio that the transformer in question has been out of service for over two and a half months. He claimed that in recent days, multiple transformers have been brought in but were already faulty, leading to suspicion that technicians from Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) are recycling broken equipment.
“In the past five days, three or four transformers were replaced but all turned out to be faulty. This has left people wondering whether UEDCL is deliberately deploying transformers that are already defective,” Joshua said.
He further alleged that during last year’s NRM primary elections, a transformer bearing the label “Muko Kempunu” was transferred to Kacereere after being poorly repaired, only to fail again shortly after installation.
Another resident, Gilbert Katushabe, echoed similar frustrations. He claimed that UEDCL technicians not only replaced faulty transformers with other faulty ones but also cut off wires from lines serving institutions such as Great Shepherd Primary School and parts of Upper Kacereere Ward.
In response, former Rubanda District UEDCL manager, Mr. Martin, dismissed the allegations. He explained that during his four-year tenure, only two transformers were replaced, and whenever a transformer blows, it is sent to Kampala for repairs before being redeployed.
“It’s not guaranteed that a transformer repaired in Kampala will return to the same location it was serving. Sometimes they get mixed up in the process,” Martin clarified.
Though recently transferred to Mubende District, Mr. Martin assured Boona Radio that he would reach out to the new UEDCL manager in Rubanda to confirm whether the Kacereere transformer was reported and issued a reference number for replacement.
Boona Radio is still awaiting official feedback from the new Rubanda District UEDCL manager regarding the status of the faulty transformer and when power supply might be restored.
