- Vandals caused the Owen Falls–Mukono electricity tower collapse, disrupting regional power supply.
- UETCL and police launched investigations while emergency repair teams work to restore
- Power supply disrupted to multiple districts, prompting emergency repairs.
Uganda has faced a severe power disruption after the Owen Falls–Mukono electricity tower collapse, which left parts of Mukono without electricity. The Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) reported that several transmission towers along the 132kV Owen Falls–Mukono North and Mukono North–Namanve South lines fell at 03:02 am. Authorities say vandalism triggered the incident, highlighting a growing challenge for the country’s power infrastructure.
The collapse cut electricity to the Mukono North substation and caused outages across multiple districts. Tragically, UETCL confirmed that one person died during the incident. In response, the Uganda Police Force launched an inquiry to determine the circumstances surrounding the fatality and identify those responsible for tampering with the towers.
In recent years, Uganda’s power sector has seen a surge in vandalism targeting transformers, transmission lines, and tower structures. The Energy Ministry reports over 250 incidents annually. UETCL estimates these acts cause losses exceeding UGX 7 billion each year, while frequent outages disrupt hospitals, businesses, and households across affected regions.
Consequently, UETCL dispatched its technical team to assess the damage and restore supply as quickly as possible. The company activated emergency measures to minimise disruption to consumers. Officials also urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity near power installations to the nearest police station.
“Vandalism not only interrupts electricity but also poses serious risks to human life,” the utility warned. Authorities are emphasising that preventing such incidents is essential to safeguarding both communities and the nation’s electricity network.
Power analysts note that repeated acts of vandalism threaten Uganda’s progress in improving grid reliability. Because infrastructure repair is costly and time-consuming, the government is seeking ways to strengthen security around critical installations. Meanwhile, residents are advised to exercise caution and cooperate with authorities to prevent further incidents.