Arua City now has streetlights that run on solar electricity. Under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) project, installation of the infrastructure is taking place. Three main roads in the central division – Go Down Road, Pajulu Road (Ediofe Cathedral Road) and Arua Avenue Road have them installed.
Every solar street light pole is equipped with an earthing system, an integrated solar panel and a lightning arrester.
Some locals, who have frequently in previous years dreaded operating in dark locations, are delighted about the solar lighting installation. Bicyclist Kizito Drabile, who stages along Arua Avenue Road, remembers that prior to to the installation, a number of people lost both their lives and their property as a result of attacks by criminal groups.
Another rider in Arua City named Patrick Aluma claims that many of his coworkers had stopped working at night because the roadways had turned into a haven for criminal organisations as a result of the absence of security lights.
Arua City Mayor Sam Wadri Nyakua claims that the recently installed solar-powered street lights have a value of more than 1.4 billion shillings. Wadri urged city people to protect the street lights from being damaged by criminals because they contribute to the city’s aesthetic attractiveness, particularly at night.
The Central Division Mayor of Arua City, Khemis Muzaidi, notes that since the streets can support night markets, the recently installed street lights could increase local revenue.
One of the first local governments which benefited through the USMID programme in 2013 was Arua City. The program’s main goal is to improve municipal councils’ organisational performance in order to improve service delivery. Lira, Gulu, Soroti, Entebbe, Mbale, Tororo and Jinja are among them.
