Steel manufacturer says power surges caused Shs3b losses- Uganda

Steel manufacturer, Roofings Group, has said it has lost equipment worth of $1.2 million (Shs3.1 billion) over the last 10 months due to power surges.
The Group technical director, Mr Sheikh Arif, said he believes the surges were caused by lightning strikes to electrical sub-stations, which distribute power to businesses and homes, as well as old equipment at the sub stations.

Another likely cause of the unstable power, according to the manufacturer, may be the erratic use of electricity, such as turning large motors on and off abruptly by neighbouring factories in the Namanve Industrial Area, he said.
“It is not power cuts, it is the power spikes,” Mr Arif said, clarifying the alleged source of his company’s losses to reporters and parliamentarians at the Namanve factory on Wednesday.

“If power goes off, the production line stops. The material we would have been producing [when the surge happens] goes to waste,” Mr Arif explained, adding that the surges occur almost on a daily basis.
Umeme head of communications Henry Rugamba, who confirmed his company is aware of the electricity issues Roofings Group faces, said: “I know the frustration of businesses and domestic customers,” adding that Umeme has responded to “any issues (they) report, but it is all infrastructure issues,” he said.
He added that improvements to electricity lines running to other industrial areas, like the Kampala-Mukono line, have been made in the last year.
“That has ensured better power to companies with more manageable electricity demands than the Roofings Group,” he said.

Still, the negative effects of unstable electricity on the productivity of businesses are widely recognized, including in a 2013 report by the World Bank. The bank’s ‘World Doing Business Report’ also notes that unreliable power can prevent companies from receiving a full return on the investments made, into machinery and properties, for example, by restricting productive capacity.

“To mitigate the problem of unstable electricity, you require an upgrade of the [power] line and the sub-stations because the sub-stations are quite old,” Mr Arif said, suggesting sub-stations belonging to electricity companies should be upgraded to stabilize power. “Once you have the
upgrade, the losses could be reduced.”

Source: Daily Monitor Uganda (www.monitor.co.ug)

Luanshya Schools Lack Lightning arrestors-Education Board [Zambia]

Time Posted: September 11, 2014 7:04 am

Luanshya District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Rogers Chisenga has observed that most schools in the district were not well insulated with lightening arrestors as they have had the implements stolen.

The observation follows yesterday’s incident in which 12 pupils and three teachers from Luashya Central Secondary School were struck by lightning following unexpected rains that left a trail of destruction.

Mr Chisenga said there is urgent need to source money for the installation and replacement of lightening arresters in all schools in the district to avoid similar future incidences.

He was speaking in Luanshya today when he visited Luanshya Central secondary school to appreciate the extent of damage left by the lengthening which swept through a classroom block.

He noted with regret that most schools in the district were old and that their electrical insulation had grown weak, while in some other schools the installations have been stolen.

Mr Chisenga stated that his office was urgently working towards restoring power and water to the school to ensure adequate preparation of final examinations for Grades 12 and nines.

And school head teacher Chanda Nsofwa said all the 13 pupils were in a stable condition and that some had even reported for school.

He however said the school had engaged the local water utility company to consider opening up a direct connection to the school to avoid disruption of the school calander as examination classes were doing their final preparations.

Meanwhile, Luanshya District Commissioner Harold Mbaulu attributed the incident to poor wiring at the school.

Yesterday, 15 people sustained injuries when lightning struck through a classroom block following unexpected heavy rains that also left a trail of destruction as people were caught unaware.

Business came to a standstill in the central district as traders panicked to secure their merchandise as a heavy down pour surged the district.

Taxi drivers evaded the streets to catch customers who had no choice but to seek refuge from them.

A taxi driver Martin Kaputani said the rains were a blessing as they had boosted business which was until then was slow.

Lightning kills 2 in Mityana, uganda

A heavy down pour has left 3 people dead; two of the deceased were struck by lightning.

Police identified the deceased as Vincent Mawanda, a resident of Nakyerira in Bulera Sub County, Mityana district.

Mawanda was struck by lightning as he was resting in his bedroom.

The second victim was a 16-year-old Joseph Walusimbi a student at St Kizito Bbanda SS in S2. The incident occurred at Lusalira landing site in Bbanda Sub County.

Another victim John Yiga a resident of Bekiina in Butayunja Sub County, a boda boda cyclist was hit by a tree as he was riding back home.

Latiff Zaake, the Mityana District Police Commander confirmed the disaster.

Three dead in Kenya

Three women have been killed by lightning in Masabo village, Kiamokama division in Kisii County.

The 3 were killed while working on a farm in the area

Masaba South OCPD Martha Ng'etich confirmed the incident saying the dead included two women and a class 8 pupil.

The class 8 pupil was set to sit for her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) at the end of the year.

According to the residents, there were signs of rain in the area but it had not yet started raining when the lightning struck.

Eye witnesses say that the 3 had been burnt beyond recognition.

Relatives, teachers and pupils gathered to stare at the tree where the 3 met their death.

The head teacher of Chironge Primary School John Ogucha termed the incident as “tragic”

The bodies have been taken to Gucha Sub District Hospital in Keroka.

Source: http://citizennews.co.ke/news/2012/local/item/21764-lightning-kills-3-in-kisii-county

Leader in drive to buy Lightning conductors for School

Bushenyi

Leaders in Bushenyi have launched a campaign for installing lightning arrestors to protect lives and property following recent incidents where lightning struck two schools in the district.

Eight pupils of Buramba Primary School in Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality were killed by lightning, 17 others and a teacher injured last week. Early this month, lightning struck Bunyarigi Primary School in the Bushenyi Municipality injuring six pupils.

The drive, dubbed ‘Lightning Arrestors Campaign’ was launched on Friday at Buramba during the requiem service for the deceased. The LC5 chairperson, Mr Willis Bashaasha, appealed to the leaders to “wake up” and start forging ways of helping people because they are voted and appointed to serve people, protect their lives and property.

Urged to act
“We cannot sit and wait for the government to give us everything. We are the government,” Mr Bashaasha said. The campaign kicked off with a fundraising where Shs2 million was collected to buy an arrestor for Buramba Primary School.

Mr Bashaasha said the drive will continue until all public places install lightning arrestors.
Bushenyi-Ishaka MP Odo Tayebwa said the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness would help families that lost their children.

Presiding over the requiem service, the Rt Rev. Yona Mwesigwa Katoneene, the Bishop of West Ankole Diocese, said the public should repent of negligence and look for aggressive ways to avoid such tragedies. He pledged spiritual and financial support to the campaign.

STATEMENT BY ACLE FOUNDING DIRECTOR ON RECENT LIGHTNING DEATHS IN KENYA AND UGANDA

The dreadful tragedies of eight school children killed and 23 injured by lightning in one incident in Uganda on July 24 and the two school children killed in Kenya this week remind us of the thousands of people who are killed every year across Africa by lightning and other weather hazards.  The African Centres for Lightning and Electromagnetics (ACLE) headquartered at Makerere University Business School was formed to decrease these tragedies by giving public safety and injury prevention education, mounting warning systems, providing graduate education to train lightning and weather experts for Africa, pressing for lightning protection in schools and other vital public buildings, training lightning protection specialists and a range of other activities.  National Centres in countries across Africa act as partners in this effort utilizing their particular regional and local knowledge, personnel and talents.  

In addition to loss of life, lightning and other weather hazards can cause damage to infrastructure, utility transmission, electronics, oil and gas installations and other equipment that is vital to day-to-day life as well as to the greater development of the economies of Africa.  Beyond the immediate effect, there is ‘‘down-time’ and loss of productivity, cost of equipment replacement and repair, loss of data and records, and other retarding effects on economic activity.  For individuals, families, and small businesses, it may include food spoilage, loss of employment time and profit.

ACLE proposes to participate in the Lake Victor Basin Commission call for projects by forming partnerships with weather detection companies, national and local meteorological programs, telecommunications programs and others to provide weather warnings to people living near and depending on Lake Victoria for their livelihood.  In addition, ACLE proposes to work with media and educators to disseminate lightning safety information, collect data on injuries and to use the data to study the effectiveness of any interventions to determine ‘best practices’ that may be effective for other venues. 

ACLE looks forward to contributing to the safety and wellbeing of the people of Africa, allowing them greater security in which to raise their families and pursue their work as well as to contribute to the growing prosperity of the African business and technological communities.   

Prof. Emerita MaryAnn Cooper

Lightning kills 8 pupils in Uganda- public reactions

PUPILS, teachers, parents and the neighbours of Buramba Primary School in Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality, were on Thursday (24th July 2014) evening left in shock, after lightning struck eight pupils to death and left 23 critically injured.
The shocking incident happened at 4:45 PM during a simple drizzle, as the pupils were in class for evening lessons at the school.

 It is reported that Lightning had struck another school, Bunyarigi Primary School, in the same area, 14 days prior to this tragic incident, but there were no reported casualties due to the school having lightning conductors installed on their classrooms.

Below are some of the reactions by some of the prominent locals to the incident : (translated to English from the original language used)

Bishop for the Diocese: "This has been an eye opener to us because we have not been minding about installing the metals that arrest Lightning. God will protect all the pupils and parents going forward"

MP Ishaka Municipality: "I have spoken with the minister for disaster preparedness, and I will prepare a report and take it to his office to see if there are ways we can support the families."

Education Officer Ishaka Municipality: "It's been less than 2 weeks since lightning struck Bunyarigi (primary school), and now see what has happened here. I can assure the parents that we will not allow this to happen again"

School Headmistress: "We have been struck by lightning, because even the other pupils are afraid and have not reported back to school. I request parents not to abandon the school, and send pupils back. We plead with all who can support us to raise money to buy Lightning arrestors"