NELSON K
Rukungiri entrepreneurs have expressed dissatisfaction and frustration with Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) as electricity service providers, following continued electricity load shedding which has hindered businesses in the area.
These entrepreneurs have voiced their frustrations and dissatisfaction over the continued electricity load shedding, which they say has affected their business work plans and work rates, resulting in low income harvests compared to previous years.
Entrepreneurs led by Turyatemba Medard Sonko, the Director of Sonko World Electronics, together with Ronald Kyarimpa, well known as Kankonkoma—an entrepreneur who deals in both welding and garage services—expressed frustration and dissatisfaction towards the continued regular electricity load shedding. They blamed it for causing business backwardness and low income rates since power to run their businesses has failed to stabilize and remains inconsistent.
They blamed the UEDCL Rukungiri Branch Management for being irrelevant and remaining quiet about the issue that is causing continued load shedding, urging them to always visit quick media houses like radios and address the public on what is causing the challenge.
With broken hearts and disappointment, they criticized UEDCL for leading to their failures in life and causing permanent conflicts between entrepreneurs and their customers because of inconsistent electricity. They therefore called on the company to try their level best to quickly handle faults, communicate with clients, and improve the service.
Mr. Mathias Unik, well known as Unik Artists, who deals in stationery business, also complained about the continued regular electricity load shedding which has affected their business. However, he credited the previous UMEME Electricity Company Limited for always making effective communication and sending them messages before shutdowns.
With regret, he credited UMEME for providing electric services effectively, where electronic-based businesses made income and prospered, unlike under UEDCL’s time, where they have suffered low income due to frequent power shortages.
Meanwhile, despite the Rukungiri District UEDCL Manager, Eng. Alex Asiimwe, pledging to continue visiting more quick media houses to inform the public about the service, he attributed the challenge of continued load shedding to saboteurs who intentionally tamper with electric wires and transformers for their own reasons to disrupt the service.
Thieves steal wires and transformers or disconnect electricity on Rukungiri’s main line in Kebisoni to cause darkness and steal. Although there are suspects at Rukungiri Police CPS, he also complained about residents and landowners who refuse to cut trees and branches that collide with wires during rainy and windy seasons, causing service disconnections. He further mentioned issues of old poles and gadgets since UMEME spent its last three years without updating services and equipment.
He therefore called on Rukungiri residents to immediately stop dealing with fake electricians who connect them to the service illegally—actions that have caused transformer faults. He urged residents to allow technical electricity workers to cut trees near wires and poles, and to ensure public asset security by arresting those who tamper with electric gadgets and cause deliberate disconnections.
