Electricity theft causes frequent outages in Sebei

Rampant electricity theft has lead to frequent outages that have negatively impacted on the businesses in Sebei Sub-region .

A Daily Monitor investigation found that people are being connected to electricity by illegal operators commonly known as (Kamyufu) owing to, among other reasons, high connection fees.

Cases of power theft are mostly reported in the sub -counties of Cheminy, Kaproron, and Binyiny all in Kween District and Chema, Barawa, Kapchesombe, and Kisenyi in Kapchorwa District.

Umeme officials say there are also illegal underground network connections in Siron, Karasa and Kapchesombe in Kapchorwa Municipality.

During a consultative meeting organised by Umeme in Kapchorwa Town last week, the vice was blamed on high connection fees and lack of supervision from the power distribution company.

The meeting, which attracted leaders from the sub-region, was to find ways of curbing power theft that has at times resulted into deaths and vandalisation of Umeme assets.   

“The cost of power connection is too high. This is the reason people opt for illegal connections,” Mr Issa Kamonges, a resident of Kubilat Village in Kaserem Sub-county in Kapchorwa District, said.

Cases of power theft surged in the sub-region during the Covid-19 induced lockdown and it stands at 40 percent,  according to Mr Peter Kauju, the public relation officer of Umeme .

Mr Joseph Chebengat, the councillor representing Binyiny Town Council in Kween, said police should establish posts in sub-counties with rampant power theft.

Mr Boniface Chepsikor, the councillor representing Kwaanyiy Sub-county in Kween, said a committee should be established to prevent vandalism of transformers.  The Resident District Commissioner of Kween, Ms Eva Kwesiga,  said some Umeme staff are behind the illegal connections.

“Umeme officials should investigate their own staff because some of them are behind the illegal connections,” she said.

Ms Evelyne Chebet Kubarika, the chairperson of Kapchorwa District, urged the government to regulate the power tariffs such that all Ugandans can access power.

“Majority of people in rural areas cannot afford to pay electricity, which has forced them to resort to illegal connections,” she said.

Locals say when a person applies for power connection, the fee is Shs720,883, which they say is unaffordable.

“But if it’s with one pole, you have to pay Shs2.3m,” Mr Juma Chelangat, a resident of Kapchorwa Town,  said.  

Mr William Chemonges, the MP for Kween County, who is also the regional whip for Sebei MPS, said they cannot achieve economic development if there is no stable access to power.

Kween District Woman MP Emma Rose Cherukut adviced Umeme to set up an operation office in the sub-region. 

“We need to have an office in this Sebei because as of now, people have to move to Mbale to pay for the Umeme services,” she said.  Mr Trevor Kigenyi, the head of Umeme regional operations, said locals should apply for power through the government connection policy, which is free.

“They should apply via my Umeme Online Portal and they will have to pay only Shs20,000 for survey and inspection and they wait for power,” he said.

Mr Kauju denied allegations that their staff members aid locals to illegally access power.

“We receive complaints of people, who masquerade as Umeme officers and extort money from people. They connect them illegally,” he said, adding that last week, three impersonators were arrested in Mbale.

Mr Kauju also said they have plans of setting up an operation office in Sebei.

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