Bosco Emot, a resident of Aderlongo trading center, explained that power, which was connected to the area under the Rural Electrification Program, went out in October of the previous year, just a few weeks after the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) handed it over to Umeme.
Evelyn Anite, the State Minister for Finance in charge of Investment and Privatization, noted some progress in extending the US$ 5 cents per unit electricity rate to manufacturers.
Vandalism remains a substantial challenge to the country's social and economic development, leading to network outages that disrupt online transmissions, including cell phones and banking systems, resulting in revenue loss. Vandalism also extends to hydroelectric installations, with equally severe consequences.
Alisat Namulondo, a salon operator in the area, expressed concern that the vandalism of electricity power lines has adversely affected business operations, leading to frequent power outages.
Sam Twineamazima the Savannah Regional Police Spokesperson explains that on Tuesday Police got an alert after residents saw men cutting electric wires from the poles at Kitasure village in Kikyusa sub county.
He blames the power distributors UMEME for delaying to remove the wire from the road even after being called by the community members 2 hours before the incident.
Lawrence Egole, the Lira Resident City Commissioner explained that the operation was based on intelligence information that they have been investigating for a while now.
They were charged before the Mbarara Chief Magistrate Benjamin Seruwo with one count of Terrorism contrary to Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 2002, which attracts a death penalty upon conviction.
Katongole was arrested from his hideout in Seguku along Kampala- Entebbe road before being transferred to Jinja central police station for further interrogation.
Gulu City has for almost one week been experiencing persistent power outages which is the backbone for water pumping and supply within Gulu City and the outskirts by the National Water and Sewerage Cooperation (NWSC).
The two suspects were picked up from Bwase zone in Buwenge town council in Jinja district. It is alleged that while Bwase zone, the suspects informed residents that they had been directed to replace their old Yaka meters with new ones.
The campaign involves sensitization of communities in safeguarding electricity lines, on the newly amended electricity act, with emphasis on the penalties involved.
During the launch of the plan on Wednesday, Umeme said the development is aimed at ensuring timely power supply within the sub region, so as to improve productivity in both the manufacturing and services sectors.
The electricity in the market was left on for only the police post that occupies only two rooms of the entire building. Assy Abireeba, the Mbarara City Clerk says they are left wondering how the bill accumulated to that level when the market is closed.
The fire started at 9 p.m. and went on until midnight razed one of the clothing stores which had newly stocked bales of secondhand clothing and shoes. Police’s fire and rescue services unit, alongside Red Cross officials, contained the fire before spreading to the surrounding units within the market.
UMEME’s Jinja area manager, Paul Ssempira however says that despite their efforts to sensitize communities on the dangers involved in power thefts, the vice tends to thrive, which has since compromised the power supply chain to the legally connected consumers.
The suspects went on the streets on Friday and Saturday to protest operations against illegal power connections in the areas of Bugembe. They lit old tyres in the middle of the Jinja-Iganga highway, affecting traffic and businesses along the highway.
UMEME’s corporate affairs and regulatory director, Blessing Nshaho says that, much as they have partnered with agencies to ensure that, most of the trading centres have access to power, electric wires are being vandalized, which has since slowed down connections.
