People living in some areas in Bujumbura City Council still observe the interruption of power supply. They complain why there is an electricity shortage while Regideso (Water and Electricity Burundi Company) Officials said that the Company got some generators to solve the power cut problem – by Yves Didier Irakoze
Rwegura dam:one of the dams supplying electricity in the country.©Iwacu
“We do not have power electricity during twenty four hours; we have it from 6 am to 10 pm. We don’t understand why there is always power cut whereas Regideso authorities have recently informed that this problem is over,” deplores Kaze Delya living at Jabe.
A father living at Kibenga shares the same view stating that he doesn’t know why the interruption of power supply is found in some areas and not everywhere in Bujumbura City Council. He wonders why this situation happens to some people and not to everybody. He hopes that Regideso will soon find a solution to that very serious problem as thieves often go to commit their criminal acts when there is obscurity.
Y .N. living at Jabe has said that Regideso has promised that the electricity shortage would be over once their new generators would start to be operational, but in vain. This power cut is also observed in some areas downtown where there are many various activities generating income and offices which need electricity permanently. Many people also complain why this issue occurs each year. They state that their activities are no longer run smoothly because of that problem; they are compelled to use a lot of money to buy fuel for their generators in order to continue their activities, and this is very expensive regarding the cost of fuel today.
N. K. who is a physician working in one of the drugstores at Bujumbura says that the electricity cut happens each week. He complains that they have medicine which must be kept in their refrigerator permanently because they can be damaged at any time. “We, who work in women’s hair saloons or barber’s, need electrical power every time. But, this is not the case. For example, we have power cut of electricity since yesterday, this is an enormous loss for us. We expose our problem but no one listens to us,” deplores one hair maker working in town.
Regideso’s reaction
According to Desiré Nsabiyumva, Director of Electricity at REGIDESO, the interruption of the power supply is still there. Those who think that the problem is over are mistaken.
“Even though there are generators, it isn’t possible to supply electricity in all areas permanently. Those generators are operational from 6 pm to 10 pm,” states Nsabiyumva.
He adds that concerning the supply of electricity in different areas, it depends on their location: there are places which must be supplied permanently like hospitals, universities, schools and other strategic places.
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