Power outage paralyses businesses in Lira City
A section of one of the streets that have been affected by a power outage in Lira City. PHOTO/PATRICK EBONG
What you need to know:
- However, Uganda’s power distributor, Umeme, told Monitor that they have obtained a new transformer from Kampala for the affected area.
A major power outage since early January has affected over 300 businesses along five streets in Lira City, Monitor has learnt.
The power outage which has persisted since January 5 when a transformer supplying power in the areas of Olwol Road blew has forced businesspeople to alternative energy sources.
The business operators along other roads such as Obangakene, Note-ber and parts of Oyam and Bala roads have equally had their businesses disrupted.
Ms Susan Atim, a juice vendor on Note-ber Road said: "For the last two weeks, l have not been doing any business. l just come here in the morning and sit the whole day hoping that power will be restored but l go back home after waiting in pain," Ms Atim told Monitor on Thursday.
Mr James Okello, who has a welding and metal fabrication workshop on Obangakene Road decried customers who have since withdrawn works from him following the outage.
"I have made big losses yet l had already got some work do and l was hopeful that l would get money for my children's school fees," Mr Okello said.
Mr Bonny Ogwok who operates a secretarial service centre on Olwol Road said he has lost a lot of business as several schools had given him their work of making admission letters and brochures.
"I have a generator but its fuel consumption is too high. It cannot run the whole day," Mr Ogwok noted.
However, Uganda’s power distributor, Umeme, told Monitor that they have obtained a new transformer from Kampala for the affected area.
"The transformer has just arrived now as we talk and we are coming to fix it and restore power in those places. We are sorry for the delay," Stephen Epilu, the Umeme Lira branch manager revealed on Thursday.
