Kirundo residents go months with little power as shortages spread
Residents of Kirundo, in northern Burundi, say power has been almost absent for about three months, forcing families and shops to rely on solar panels and torches.
Kirundo, a town in northern Burundi, has faced persistent electricity shortages for several months. The outages have disrupted daily life, hurt commercial activity and complicated the work of several establishments in the town.
One resident said he has had almost no electricity for about three months, and that when power does return it lasts only a very short time. A worker at a guest house said locals have grown used to living without it, and that when it comes back it feels almost like a miracle. Milk sellers and other merchants say their businesses have slowed to a standstill, and that the cold storage of some products has become difficult.
Shortages have also been reported in several other regions, including Bujumbura, the economic capital, where many shops, government offices and United Nations agencies are based. Residents and traders in Kirundo are calling on the authorities and the national water and electricity utility, REGIDESO, to take urgent steps to restore a regular supply.
Why it mattersMilk sellers and other small merchants in Kirundo, whose products need refrigeration and whose equipment depends on power, say the outages are halting their sales.