Residents and business owners in Laliya Trading Centre, Laroo Pece Division, are demanding urgent action from UEDCL after enduring a total power blackout for nearly two weeks.
In a letter dated April 30, 2026, the business community petitioned the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited, Gulu Regional Office, saying the outage has crippled livelihoods and increased insecurity.
“Salons, welding workshops, maize mills, phone charging points, and businesses that need refrigeration are non-operational. Daily income has stopped,” the letter states.
Traders say perishable goods including meat, milk, and drinks are spoiling, leading to heavy losses. Clinics and drug shops in the centre also cannot safely store vaccines and medicines.
Residents add that complete darkness at night has raised fears of theft and accidents, driving away customers.
The group is demanding power restoration within 48 hours, an official explanation for the blackout, and a permanent fix to the faulty transformer or line network serving Laliya.
“As law-abiding customers who pay tariffs, the people of Laliya Trading Centre are entitled to reliable electricity supply,” the petition reads. “This prolonged outage is crippling livelihoods and eroding public trust.”
The letter was copied to the Ministry of Energy & Mineral Development and Gulu City Authority, Laroo Pece Division.
