Umeme decry rampant vandalism, power theft

Police in Mbale parade people arrested in connection with theft of copper wires in the Mt Elgon area recently. PHOTO BY David Mafabi

What you need to know:

Naughty. The region is known for having the highest number of vandal cases.

MBALE. Officials at the power distribution company, Umeme, have decried the rampant theft of wires and power, saying this has greatly sabotaged their operations and service delivery.
Mr Hudson Arinaitwe, the Umeme Mbale area branch manager, last Saturday said thugs have stolen copper wires more than five miles long off utility poles in the eastern region and sold them to scrap dealers.
Mr Arinaitwe said the power theft and vandalism of wires and transformers have affected the business and it is too costly to replace the equipment.
He said power thefts and vandalism in eastern region alone cost the company Shs19.2 billion in 2014.
Mr Arinaitwe said removing wires causes stray currents, shock hazards and fluctuating voltages and this has led to de-energising of transformers.
“Regardless of the knowledge people think they have with regard to electricity, we advise everyone, not only those looking to defraud or steal from the company, to stay away from power lines,” Mr Arinaitwe said.
The Minister for Energy, Ms Irene Muloni, said government is already aware of the rampant power and copper wire thefts in eastern Uganda and called for a concerted effort by Resident District Commissioners and security officials to end power thefts at trading centres where many people have died due to electrocution.
She added that power thefts usually lead to increased tariffs because there is a need to cover up the gap created by those who steal electricity wires and the loss was huge and was costing both the company and country dearly.
“All the rampant power thefts are due to a weak legislation. Under the law, power thefts and illegal connections are not considered as serious crimes. The only sentence the company has ever secured for illegal connections is two months in jail. I think all of us should create awareness against meddling with electricity when you are not an engineer,” said Ms Muloni.

Earlier warnings

Last year, Energy minister Irene Muloni revealed that Mt Elgon sub-region steals more electricity than any other region in Uganda, followed by Masaka District. Mt Elgon region covers the districts of Mbale, Manafwa, Bududa, Sironko, Bulambuli, Budaka, Tororo, Butalleja, Pallisa and Kapchorwa. The region, according to the minister, faces more electrocutions due to illegal connections. The minister said more than 1,079 people were electrocuted in the area and Masaka in the past six months. Later in October last year, the chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on National Economy, Mr Xavier Kyooma, told residents that government will only resume rehabilitation of the roads in Elgon sub-region when residents end illegal power connections. He said government had resolved to suspend tarmacking of Bulambuli, Namagumba-Budadiri, and Mbale-Wanale roads until the demand was met.