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Concern over fuel theft on Bunyoro road projects
Road construction ongoing on the Kigumba-Kyenjojo road. PHOTO/ FILE
What you need to know:
- According to local leaders, they have been impounding jerrycans and drums of fuel stolen from vehicles working on the roads
Authorities in Bunyoro have expressed concern over the increasing theft of fuel from vehicles involved in road construction projects in the sub-region.
According to local leaders, they have been impounding jerrycans and drums of fuel stolen from vehicles working on the roads.
Some of the affected roads are Kigumba-Kyenjojo, those in Masindi Town, Hohwa-Nyairongo-Kyarushesha-Butole (25kms), Kabaale-Kiziranfumbi (25kms) and Masindi-Biiso (47kms).
Mr Emmy Ngabirano, the Masindi resident district commissioner, at the weekend said the cases are on the rise yet most are not being reported to police. Mr Ngabirano added that his office has deployed intelligence officers on the roads.
“We are closely monitoring on the ground mostly in areas where road construction projects are ongoing,” he said.
The Albertine regional police spokesperson, Mr Julius Hakiza, told this publication that they recently impounded some jerry cans of fuel stolen from China Railway Seventh group (CRSG) following complaints from the construction company.
“We have just impounded some jerry cans, and we are closely monitoring to arrest all the suspects and bring them to book,” Mr Hakiza said.
“The road construction companies should inform police early enough so that we constitute a team to arrest the culprits, police work is usually based on the information we get,” he added.
Mr John Karuhanga, the communications officer at CRSG, told this publication that theft of company fuel by unknown people is increasing construction costs, especially at the time of escalating prices.
Mr Karuhanga added that one person was arrested in connection to the theft from Kiryandongo District and he will soon be taken to court.
CRSG recently petitioned Kikuube Resident District Commissioner Amlan Tumusime to intervene and stop the escalating vice.
District security operatives recently impounded about 10 jerry cans of siphoned fuel, 10 drums and a pipe.
Last month, police in Buliisa District arrested three people for allegedly stealing fuel from trucks belonging to China Chongqing International Construction Company Limited (CICO), which was contracted to work on the Hoima –Butiaba- Wanseko road.
