Common questions

Straight answers to the questions Jinja residents keep asking — power, water, garbage, the 2026 trade order, the taxi park and floods. Facts that may move carry their date. Last reviewed 11 June 2026.

Why does the power keep going off?+−

Jinja's electricity comes through UEDCL, the state distributor that took the network back from Umeme in 2025. Much of the equipment is old — UEDCL itself says roughly 40% of the distribution network has outlived its lifespan — and the line serving Jinja's industrial area logged 406 interruptions in 2025, among the worst in the country (Daily Monitor, 2026). Repairs are happening, but expect interruptions to remain part of life for now.

How do I check or report a power cut?+−

Call UEDCL toll-free on 0800 203 088. UEDCL also posts live outage alerts by district — Jinja included — and planned shutdowns at uedcl.co.ug, but the site itself goes down from time to time; it was unreachable for part of 11 June 2026.

When the website fails, radio usually carries shutdown announcements: try NBS 89.4 FM or Busoga One 90.6 FM.

Why does the water stop when the power goes off?+−

Jinja's piped water is pumped at NWSC's Masese treatment plant, which runs on grid electricity. When power fails at Masese, the pumps stop and supply drops — in Jinja and in the districts the plant also feeds (Iganga, Mayuge and parts of Buikwe and Kayunga). NWSC has named power shutdowns at Masese as the cause of past supply gaps.

Is anything being done about the water supply?+−

Yes. Work began in 2026 on a Shs12 billion government-funded expansion of the Masese treatment plant, and NWSC is installing six higher-capacity pumps to draw more water from Lake Victoria (NWSC's Jinja area manager, quoted 30 May 2026). The greater Jinja area uses two to three million litres a day — more than the current plant comfortably supplies — so interruptions will continue until the work finishes.

Who do I call about a water problem?+−

NWSC's toll-free lines, 0800 200 977 or 0800 300 977, are answered 24/7 — for supply failures, leaks and billing. You can also write to info@nwsc.co.ug.

When is garbage collected, and where do I report it?+−

There is no published collection schedule for Jinja. Market traders reported collection only once or twice a week in late 2025, and uncollected garbage is one of the city's most repeated complaints. Since December 2025 the council has run a monthly 'Keep Jinja City Clean' campaign with traders.

To report a pile that is not being collected, call the city council on +256 703 515 186 or write to info@jinjacity.go.ug.

What is the 2026 'trade order'?+−

A national campaign, enforced in Jinja from March 2026, to move vendors off streets, road reserves and other ungazetted spaces into designated markets. In Jinja it began with kiosk demolitions in mid-March 2026.

Opinion is genuinely divided: market traders who pay stall rent had petitioned for street vendors to be removed, while evicted vendors — some still repaying loans on destroyed kiosks — say they were given no workable alternative. What matters day to day: trading in an ungazetted space can be enforced against at any time, and the council points traders to designated markets in the Southern and Northern divisions. Our 'Markets & trade order' page has the dated detail.

What happened with the taxi-park kiosks and the court case?+−

In mid-March 2026 the High Court in Jinja halted the demolition of kiosks at the central Taxi Park after the owners' association petitioned (Plus News, 17 March 2026). Press reports put the freeze at more than 800 kiosk owners across the Taxi Park and Bus Park, running to 7 May 2026 (Daily Monitor, March 2026).

We could not verify what the court decided after that date — the position may have moved since this page was reviewed on 11 June 2026. Check with the court or the city council before acting on it.

Is the taxi park moving?+−

Proposed, not decided. A December 2023 plan would split the central taxi park into two new sites, Mailo Mbili and Amber Court; taxi operators, boda boda riders and Central Market traders all publicly opposed it. In March 2026 the city referenced moving the taxi park and Ambercourt market to Bugembe. As of 11 June 2026 we found no confirmed decision or date.

Should lakeshore residents worry about flooding again?+−

The risk is real and it repeats. In May 2024 Lake Victoria reached a 128-year high; water submerged markets, homes, roads and a borehole at Masese Landing Site and stranded more than 1,600 people. High water in 2020 also flooded Masese.

There is no public early-warning page we can link yet. From past events: when the lake rises during the March–May rains, treat the landing-site area with caution and listen for council and radio announcements.

Who do I call in an emergency?+−

999 — or 112 from a mobile. Both are listed by the Uganda Police Force. Local station numbers (Jinja Central, Walukuba, Mpumudde, Bugembe) are on our 'Who to call' page.

Does Jinja Regional Referral Hospital offer dialysis?+−

Not yet. The hospital's director told Parliament in the 2025/26 budget round that Busoga dialysis patients must travel to Kiruddu hospital in Kampala, and asked for funding to start the service in Jinja. The hospital's 24-hour emergency lines are +256 414 674584 and +256 414 674585.

Can I take photos at the dam or the Source of the Nile?+−

Be careful. Photographing military, official or diplomatic sites is forbidden in Uganda, and UK government travel advice names the dam at the source of the Nile near Jinja specifically. The riverfront tourist sites are fine; the dam and security installations are not. Asking people before you photograph them is expected everywhere.