The people of Wotutu, a fast-growing village in Fako County under Buea, have taken their frustration to the streets. On Tuesday, April 26, 2026, they sealed off the main road linking Mile 16 (Bonadikombo) to Buea through Tole. No vehicle moved in or out. The message was clear. No light, no passage.
From early morning, women and youths formed a human wall across the road. They carried placards. They waved peace plants. They banged pots and pans. The sound echoed across the hills of Wotutu. It was a peaceful protest but firm and uncompromising.
The anger comes after nearly one month of total blackouts. Residents say life has become unbearable. Small businesses have collapsed. Food items have gone bad. Daily survival has turned into a struggle.
By midday, workers from ENEO arrived on the ground. They began checking the faulty transformer. But the villagers were not moved. They say they have seen this pattern before. Promises are made. Technicians come and go. Darkness remains.
Women in the protest say they have suffered the most. They spoke of heavy financial losses. They spoke of children studying in darkness. They spoke of a community abandoned.
The Divisional Officer for Buea, Abba Abdouraman, stepped in. He pleaded with the population to open the road. The people refused. They insisted they would only leave when electricity is fully restored.
Wotutu, now home to over 7,000 residents, continues to grow fast. But its power supply has not grown with it. The lone transformer serving the area is widely seen as too small. Overload has become normal. Blackouts have become routine.
What happened in Wotutu is not just a protest. It is a statement. A community pushed to the wall has decided to push back.
