Gulu City’s business communities are deeply concerned about the local government’s continued neglect of the town’s street lighting infrastructure.
Gulu officially became a City on July 1, 2020. Following that, a number of infrastructure improvements, including the installation of street lights, were carried out to reduce insecurity and promote nighttime businesses, among other things.
However, as the sun sets over Gulu, the streets begin to empty, not because the workday has ended, but because the streetlights have turned off for the night!
Each evening, as the streets remain dark, one truth becomes more apparent as people appear tired of excuses and in need of answers to their questions.
Dozens of streetlights in key business areas remain broken or completely non-functional, leaving many wondering why, while leaders remain silent on the matter.
Even though city officials recently launched an initiative to repair the long-neglected streetlights, local business owners say the effort came too late and progress is painfully slow.
The situation is further complicated by questions about fund allocation and use. Streetlight maintenance and urban security were allocated shs150 million in Gulu City’s 2023/24 budget.
Acayo Jenifer, a street vendor, explained how the solar lights had been on and off for so long. “And at some point they die off not producing any lights at all yet we rely so much on these lights at night.”
“We get very scared when the lights go off because we have very many street boys (aguu: thugs) coming to pretend to be customers yet they are eying to steal our commodities,” Acayo narrated.
To ensure her safety, she now returns home at 7:30 p.m. every day. “Before, I used to go back at 10 p.m., and my sales have dropped from shs250,000 to shs120,000 per day,” Acayo revealed, claiming that the majority of her customers came in the evenings.
Emma Makwa cooks chapatis. He is also concerned about the poor lighting. “The solar lights are very dim and my customers cannot even see or recognize my business when it’s evening time. Sometimes, I even have to call in people so that they can buy from me which is very tiresome.”
Makwa added that he has returned home several times with little or no profits, only to return the next day and work to make a living.
“I was happy during the Parliamentary visit to Gulu… I saw some solar lights being repaired but as I talk right now they have broken down completely,” he said.
A mechanic, who requested anonymity, revealed the additional cost of hiring security guards due to increased robberies as early as 8 p.m.
“I used to think that these street lights were put here for decoration purposes because they look to be totally abandoned and no one is coming to take accountability for them.”
Alimocan Prossy, a street mobile vendor, stated that they pay taxes. “We deserve to receive better services, it’s time the leaders wake up and step up their game because people are silently suffering.”
She is demanding that if the street lights cannot be repaired, the poles be removed because they serve no purpose.
Despite Gulu’s ambitions to modernize and become a regional business hub, basic infrastructure issues such as non-functional street lighting serve as a stark reminder of the city’s long-standing neglect.
Gulu City authorities announced in July 2024 a shs448.6 million project aimed at restoring 162 non-functional solar street lights across key commercial areas.
The roads included Cemetery Road, Walter Opwonya Road, Ring Road, Laroo Road, Muroni Road, and Peter Opoka Road.
A street with non functional street lights. Photo by Joanita Adong.