Wamala told the meeting that in one of the latest incidents, resident Arthur Mubangizi returned home at about 1:00am and parked his vehicle, only to wake up the following morning and find it vandalised.
Residents of Kituba, Kisowera, Lukojjo and Mpoma villages, together with Canaan Site Estate Mpoma in Nama Sub-county, Mukono district, have blamed prolonged power outages for a surge in nighttime thefts, saying criminals are taking advantage of the darkness to break into homes and businesses.
The residents say they have endured the blackout for more than a month in some areas, despite repeatedly reporting the problem to the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) Mukono branch.
“It’s unfortunate that we have called UEDCL officials countless times, informing them about the darkness we have endured for so long, but they have not come up with any solution. Each night, we now have sleepless nights because thieves are going through our homes and businesses, door to door, taking what they want,” said Rashid Okello, a resident.
During a security meeting held at Canaan Site Estate on Sunday, Kituba Village chairperson Robert Wamala listened to residents who reported losing valuables, poultry, animals and other property to thieves who break into their homes under the cover of darkness.
Residents said the situation has also affected motorists. Last week, two vehicles were reportedly vandalised at the estate after suspected thieves jumped over perimeter walls at night.
Wamala told the meeting that in one of the latest incidents, resident Arthur Mubangizi returned home at about 1:00am and parked his vehicle, only to wake up the following morning and find it vandalised.
He said UEDCL has sent technicians to the area several times to investigate and restore power, but the problem has persisted.
Meanwhile, Kisowera trading centre has also joined the list of affected areas, having spent about a week without electricity, according to traders.
Unlike households that mainly depend on electricity for domestic use, traders say the prolonged outage is directly affecting their businesses and causing heavy financial losses.
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Rogers Akankunda, who operates a milk dairy, said he lost milk worth more than sh300,000 when the power went off and has continued to lose income because he cannot stock milk without reliable electricity.
“I run a milk dairy from which I am only in business when there is power. The first day power went off, I lost the milk I had stocked and counted losses amounting to over Sh300,000. Now that is in addition to these other days when I have not been able to stock milk. I am currently counting losses in millions,” he said.
Among the affected businesses are schools preparing candidates for the Primary Seven, Senior Four and Senior Six examinations. Teachers said the prolonged power outage has disrupted evening and morning revision sessions, raising fears that candidates could lose valuable preparation time at this critical stage.
The affected residents are now collecting signatures for a petition to the UEDCL Mukono manager, Winfred Nalukoobyo, seeking an explanation for the prolonged outage and a lasting solution.
Some traders in Kisowera have also threatened to close their businesses in a peaceful sit-down protest to draw the attention of UEDCL and local leaders to the situation.
The residents are calling for the urgent restoration of electricity, saying the continued darkness is not only disrupting their livelihoods but also raising concerns about their security.
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