Residents of Masindi Municipality have said the city’s inadequate street lighting poses a threat to their safety.
Noting that the darkened streets are becoming breeding grounds for crime and accidents, they urged local officials to take immediate action.
The problem is more pronounced in the city center and in the cells of Kamunyonga, Kijungu and Kisengya, where residents say they no longer feel safe walking home after sunset.
Ms Hajara Nabiruma, a resident of Kamunyonga, said many people are terrified of walking home in the dark, fearing possible robberies and harassment.
She said the lack of proper lighting affects residents’ sense of safety and negatively impacts local businesses at night.
Retailers and restaurant owners are reporting a decline in evening customers as many people hesitate to go out after dark.
“It’s not just a matter of safety; it’s about our livelihood. If people are afraid to come out at night, our sales will suffer,” said Samuel Nuwagaba, who sells groceries in Kijura.
Mr John Tumusiime, a boda boda rider in the city center said: “It is very risky for us boda boda riders, without street lights you can hardly see anything on some roads and have to rely on the motorcycle’s weak headlights to Navigation becomes even more dangerous in areas like Kamunyonga and Kijungu, where thieves can hide in the shadows.
“We have had cases where boda boda riders were ambushed and some lost their bikes and money. This issue affects our business as people are also afraid to call us at night,” he added.
Mr James Byaruhanga, another boda boda rider, added that the absence of street lights makes it difficult to identify potential customers and makes them vulnerable to attacks.
“Sometimes you think someone is inviting you for a ride, but you can’t even tell who it is until you get really close. This makes it easy for thieves to trick us. I have friends who have been robbed, and it’s heartbreaking. ” -breaking because this is our only livelihood,” he explains.
He said authorities must urgently address this problem. Local leaders acknowledged the problem of darkness in the city, but cited budget constraints.
Mr Jackson Mboneraho, the Municipal Secretary for Finance, explained that they have not allocated a budget for street lighting this year as it is centrally planned through government programs such as the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) and the Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Project. (MATIP).
Masindi Municipality Central Department Chairman, Mr Isaac Bongomin, stated that the department has only budgeted for two solar street lights costing Shs18 million.
“This is far from sufficient to meet the needs of our residents. We need to seriously consider budgeting more solar energy. Solar lighting is an effective way to illuminate our streets without relying solely on the national electricity grid. We have many sunny days in Uganda and we must use this resource to improve our security,” he said.
Mr Musa Kabalega, the LC1 Chairman of Kijungu Cell, said in his region the situation is worse and needs urgent attention.
“People walking around in the dark is not good at all; thieves take advantage of robbing people’s property. We also need CCTV cameras to enhance the security of the area,” he said.
In July, Masindi Deputy RDC Sason Dhaala expressed concern over the increasing crime wave in the area where thugs with iron bars targeted traders and residents in the evenings.
Shops in Masindi Town were closed earlier than normal, while hotels and restaurants complained about low customer turnout.
For us boda boda riders it is very risky, without street lights you can hardly see anything on some roads and you have to rely on the weak headlights of the motorcycle to navigate. Things get even more dangerous in areas like Kamunyonga and Kijungu, where thieves can hide in the shadows – John Tumusiime, city center boda boda rider.