Several parts of the country were plunged into darkness for one hour on Wednesday night. COURTESY PHOTO
Various sections of Ugandans are questioning why several parts of the country were plunged into darkness for one hour on Wednesday night.
The blackout coincidentally happened when Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine was hosted live on Voice of Africa with renown talk show host Shaka Ssali. The show was also aired on a local television station.
Minutes after the blackout, electricity distributing company, Umeme issued a statement on their social media platforms explaining what had reportedly caused it.
“Dear Customers, there is a system failure at Owen falls Dam that has caused power to go off in most areas. This is being attended to,” read the statement in part.
This was followed by another statement which said: “We have been advised by our supplier Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) of a nationwide outage. The UETCL team are working to restore supply. We regret any inconveniences.”
Many Ugandans are, however, not buying into this explanation and believe that this was a planned move by government not to allow citizens watch the Bobi Wine interview. Bobi Wine has in the recent past proven to become a thorn in the back for President Museveni.
Below we give you just a few of the comments about the blackout from social media users.
Justine Hahubi: The whole Uganda has no power. They are always in panicking mode day and night. Bobi z giving them hard time not to think far but within
Ssemalulu Charles: They fear what they don’t know (in Bobi Wine’s voice). I guess u know what I mean.
A Pass Bagonza: Umeme please return my electricity, I won’t post anything political again, I will stick to music. I promise.
Godfrey Twesigye Tinka: By Switching power off, You instead popularise the guy unknowingly . For those who didn’t know that Bobi wine had a talk show on VOA have learnt because of power blackout and that definately works for him. Visible panic mode. To update those affected by power blackout, the guy is taking the ambassador back to class room.
Hanisha Honeycia: So am about to watch bobi on VOA and power mye? I can’t believe #BobiWine has got them this agitated???
Abdul Sharx D’Gunnerz: We are #peoplePower not #YakaPower. Omusajja agenda
Serah Sash: Munyonyo total black out but we shall watch it online
Vahid Oloro: Was it a coincidence: As Bobi Wine is live on VOA’s Straight Talk Africa, entire Uganda experiences a power blackout?
Lampard Richard: Uganda is a funny country. so its a country wide power blackout just because Bobi wine is on VOA. pity the coward government
Rapper Frankline Spire Ssenteza: So Bobi wine is feared like this to the extend that even they had to switch off Power country wide…very fun..so Blackout everywhere… Ouh damn
Ndyatunga Simon: Everytime Bobi Wine is to be interviewed, We get power blackout in the entire country. Now convince me thate government isn’t panicking.
Counsellor Ryan Benon: This must be sabotage why should UMEME, leave Ugandans in total power blackout just because Bobi wine? Eeehhh!
UETCL later issued a statement saying the cause of the outage was the collapse of the four towers that evacuate two major circuits on Nalubale-Kampala line as a result of vandalism.
“Four towers that evacuate two major circuits on Nalubale-Kampala line have collapsed due to vandalism causing partial nation blackout.”
‘Coincidentally’ the power was restored just after the show had ended.
