Traders and residents in Mityana Municipality are raising concerns over the persistent darkness that falls over their roads and workplaces every evening due to non-functioning or missing streetlights.
This lack of public lighting is more than an inconvenience--it poses a serious threat to safety, business, and livelihoods.
By day, Mityana is a bustling hub, but at night, streets, shops, and roadside work areas are engulfed in darkness, making movement difficult and providing cover for criminals.
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Without proper lighting, people rely on phone torches or navigate blindly through narrow streets.
"We fear for our lives every time night falls," says Elerina Nakazibwe, a vendor near Mityana Central Market.
"Thieves take advantage of the dark to snatch bags and phones. I now close my stall earlier than before, which has badly affected my income."
Night traders have been hit hardest, as many depend on late-hour sales to survive. The growing insecurity and pitch-black working conditions have made night vending nearly impossible.
"The darkness is not only chasing away customers, but it's also putting our lives in danger," adds Richard Basajja, a local vendor.
Mityana Municipality, home to over 100,000 residents, has many small-scale businesses that operate into the evening.
However, the absence of functional streetlights has turned once-busy areas into ghost streets after dusk.
Mayor Faustine Mukambwe Lukonge admits the situation is dire. He recalls that five years ago, solar-powered streetlights lit the town, but the system has since broken down and requires significant investment to restore.
"Streetlighting is not just about convenience. It's about safety, trade, and pride in our town," Mukambwe said.
"Unfortunately, management of urban roads, including streetlight maintenance, was taken over by the central government four years ago, and since then, the municipality has had no direct control."
There is some hope: the mayor revealed that the municipality recently reinstalled streetlights in selected areas and pledged further improvements soon.
"We understand the frustration. I ask residents to be patient and hopeful. Mityana qualifies for the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) project starting January 2026, which includes streetlight installation," he noted.
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As night falls, the people of Mityana remain in literal and figurative darkness, yearning not just for streetlights but for restored safety, dignity, and freedom to work without fear.
