John Wamanya, the Umeme Metering Services manager in charge of Kampala East and North Region, said the crackdown was intended to curb illegal power connections and thefts which have caused huge financial losses to the company but also to ensure the customers are safe and also reduce on vandalism.
Over 20 residents of Pallisa district have been arrested in an operation carried out against power theft and illegal connections in the Bukedi and Elgon sub region.
The suspects are being held at Pallisa Central Police station they awaited prosecution in court.
The operation by Umeme and assisted by police, started on Wednesday in Pallisa during the launch of the
Operation “kombowa” in the Mbale region. The crackdown targeted markets, residences, shops, and rented units.
John Wamanya, the Umeme Metering Services manager
in charge of Kampala East and North Region, said the crackdown was intended to
curb illegal power connections and thefts which have caused huge financial
losses to the company but also to ensure that the customers are safe.
He says that Mbale Sub Region contributes to 35% loss of the
energy dispensed to the region to power theft which is equivalent to 2.8
Million units which translates to over 1.2 billion Ugx lost in power theft.
Wamanya said that electricity theft is an economic crime under the laws of Uganda and the grid
code arguing that if people are allowed to connect on a network illegally, the
country loses greatly. He says the operation will crackdown on all illegal power
users across the region.
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Luganda byte
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Peter Kauju, the Manager Cooperate Communications at Umeme
said that the continued theft of power in the country does not only cost
government money but also costs lives of people through electrocution. He said
that Umeme has made access of power very simple to reduce on the illegal
connections and the associated dangers.
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Ashraf Soyiko Chemonges, the Police Commandant of the Alerts
Squad and the Liaison officer of the 'kombowa' operation said that they are determined to arrest all people dealing in illegal connection of power.
Kirinya Ayubu is the URN Bureau Chief of Elgon/Bukedi Sub Regions . He holds a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communication from Islamic University in Uganda and a Diploma in Computer Science and Information Technology from the same University.
