80 illegal power users arrested
Ordered. Umeme employees disconnect an illegal power line during Fagiya operation in Sironko District recently. PHOTO BY YAHUDU KITUNZI
What you need to know:
- Court. Mr Wamoto says the suspects currently detained at Sironko Central Police Station, will be arraigned in court as required by law.
- Addressing residents shortly after the operation at Mutufu Trading Centre in Bumalimba Sub-county, Mr Wamoto warned them against illegal connections, emphasising that it is a crime.
SIRONKO. Police in Sironko District in partnership with Umeme officials have launched a crackdown on illegal electricity connections that has left about 80 suspects arrested.
The joint operation dubbed: ‘Fagiya’, a swahili word meaning sweeping that started at about 11am on Tuesday lasted about seven hours. It was headed by Sironko RDC, Mr Moses Wamoto Kigayi.
The operation left more than 400 homes and trading centres disconnected. It was conducted in Budadiri Town Council and the sub-counties of Bunyafa, Butenza, Bumalimba and Nalugungu.
Most people deserted their homes and businesses for fear of being arrested. The Mbale Umeme branch manager, Mr Paul Ssempira, noted that the power distribution company loses about Shs3b monthly due to illegal connections and vandalism in the Elgon sub-region alone.
He said Sironko District has the highest number of illegal connections in the sub-region.
“We have launched a one-month operation aimed at arresting and disconnecting illegal users in all places,” Mr Ssempira said.
Umeme media manager Stephen Illungole told Daily Monitor that Elgon region ranks highest in power theft in the country. He blamed constant load shedding on illegal power users.
Mr Illungole said the arrests are part of the company effort to rein in on illegal connections, vandalism and power theft.
“Illegal connections undermine reliable power supply as they overload the distribution network and result in unplanned outages and may cause injury or death,” Mr Illungole said, adding that it leaves people who pay genuinely to suffer load shedding.
He urged the community to report illegal users to relevant authorities for action.
Mr Wamoto, who is also the head of security in the district, said the operation aimed at stopping illegal power connections. He said it was prompted by the increasing number of deaths registered in the district due to illegal power connection.
Mr Wamoto revealed that since the beginning of this year, they have recorded more than seven deaths due to electrocution caused by poor wiring which mainly results from illegal power connections.
“Most of the suspects used small wires to tap power from the main grid and loop it into their residential and commercial buildings,” Mr Wamoto said.
Addressing residents shortly after the operation at Mutufu Trading Centre in Bumalimba Sub-county, Mr Wamoto warned them against illegal connections, emphasising that it is a crime.
He, however, dismissed allegations by local leaders that the operation was targeting some politicians.
“There is no politics in this operation.We want to save people’s lives,” he said.
He said the suspects currently detained at Sironko Central Police Station will be arraigned in court as required by law.
Umeme, the utility supplier of electricity, according to officials, loses more than 48 transformers and billions of shillings due to illegal connections.
