Anti riot police has sealed off Umeme offices in Masaka as traders and opposition politicians stage anti- load shedding protests.
A group of traders and opposition politicians staged a demonstration on Friday morning staged protests against persistent power outage in the town, which they claim has rendered them jobless.
The demonstrators led by Peter Mutesasira, the former Masaka Parliamentary candidate, Meddie Lutaaya, the Masaka FDC Youth leader carried placards with statements calling for the disbandment and termination of UMEME contract.
Some messages on the placards demanded for the immediate sacking of Kirunda Magoola, the UMEME branch Manager for Masaka whom they accuse of arrogance and incompetence.
They also accused UMEME and Government of Uganda of sabotaging health service delivery in Kitovu Hospital and Masaka Hospital where surgical operations have been suspended due to power outage.
Peter Mutesasira, the protests leader says he decided to lead the riot because he has been forced tp close his photo studios due to power outage. Mutesasira claims that he is no longer able to pay rent for the house where his African studio is located because he is no longer making any money.
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Meddie Lutaaya, the Masaka FDC youth representative accused UMEME of deliberately making them jobless. Lutaaya wonders why UMEME collects a lot of money from him yet he has spent two months without stable power supply.
Lutaaya claims that although he used to pay 15,000shillings every month as electricity bill, the bill has now risen to more than 22000shillings yet he does not use a lot of power.
He describes this as cheating. Other politicians claim they have joined the protests to force force government to intervene in failing health service delivery where hospitals have suspended operations due to power outage. Noah Sserungoji, the Southern Region Police spokesperson says the opposition politicians were not given permission to stage the protests.
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Meanwhile Kirunda Magoola, the Umeme branch manager has refused to explain why loading shedding has worsened in the southern region.
He warned politicians against blackmailing him and inciting civil disobedience against umeme. Already several traders from Kalungu, Rakai, and Mateete in Sembabule who are affecyted by power outage have started joining their Masaka counter parts for the protests. # # #
