IGANGA MUNICIPALITY – Residents of Nkono ward, in Northern division, in Iganga municipality are in shock after one of their own, 25-year-old Rachel Basilika, a mother of one week old baby boy, was on Friday afternoon electrocuted at her home.
Reports indicate that Basilika was electrocuted while airing her baby’s beddings on metallic clothing lines outside her house. According to her husband Livingston Lukwise, he saw his wife collapse and he thought that she might have slid on slippery ground. However, as he went to her, he realized she was already dead.
Elliot Waiswa, the area L.C.1 chairperson says that dozens of landlords are thriving on illegal power connections. This over time puts lives of their tenants at risk.
Waiswa says that most of them install yaka meters as camouflage. They directly loop surplus power from neighboring electric lines in their localities with the intent of minimizing costs. This, however, compromises the tenants’ safety.
Diana Nandawula the Busoga East police spokesperson, says that preliminary inquiries indicate that the mother of one week old baby was electrocuted by loose electricity lines emanating from an illegal power connection in the area.
Nandawula adds that the deceased’s body has been taken to Iganga general hospital mortuary, awaiting postmortem. She challenged members of the general public to desist from illegal power connections, which risk their life and well-being.
