How over 22 km Apac-Kiryandongo electricity power distribution line was vandalised

Full report

The 33 KV electricity power distribution line connecting Apac and Kiryandongo Districts was vandalised at the watch of the local leaders and the then power distributors.

The electricity power distribution line from Ibuje Town Council to Masindi Port Ferry via Igoti Trading Centre in Aganga Parish, Ibuje Subcounty was vandalised between 2018-2020.

This is the electricity distribution power network which would act as a capillary interconnecting Lira Substation and another substation in Hoima City.

The vandalism started when a single pole fell down in September 2018 blocking the community access road and a week later it was cut into pieces for fire wood and the wires sold to the scrap dealers.

Some electricity poles were thrown down by a heavy wind during the lockdown in 2020 and again blocked the community access roads in Tarogali Parish, the community then vandalised it to clear the way.

All the aluminium and copper conductors removed from the poles ended up into the market as scraps in a broad day light and the dealers went scot-free.

This became a lucrative business attracting scrap dealers from Masindi and Kiryandongo Districts resulting in the destruction of over 100 poles covering a distance of 22km.

In the same year a rider was injured by the electricity wire from the pole which had fallen down and the whole pole was vandalised.

Jimmy Bongonyinge, a resident of Chakali Trading Centre in Tarogali Parish, Ibuje Subcounty blamed the massive vandalism of the electricity power line on both the local leaders and the then distributor UMEME.

“When the pole fell down on the road in our area, we informed the local leaders and even the people of UMEME were informed but none of them responded. After two weeks people mobilised and destroyed the pole and the wires,” he said.

Walter Obang, a resident of Teboke Village in Tarogali Parish, Ibuje Subcounty said that the power transmission line which was passing through his land said that people took the law into their own hands when the poles fell down and the UMEM delayed the repair.

“The vandalism of that power transmission line started when the poles fell down and the distributors delayed the repair. Then the locals took advantage of it to remove the cables and they sold it to some scrap dealers here,” he said.

Electricity power line vandalism is a crime under the Electricity Act 2022 and it attracts a jail term of 12 years and a fine of Shs 1 billion for the first time offenders or a fine of Shs 2 billion and imprisonment of 15 years for the repeated offenders.

Some suspects were identified, arrested and detained at Ibuje Police Station but later released as the then power distributor didn’t follow the case.

Tom Ebong Coda, the area NRM Party chairman said that he reported the matter to the police but no action was taken.

“I reported the issue to Ibuje Police Station and they responded and arrested some people but they released these people after two days and the case died like that,” he said.

Isaac Odong, Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited, UEDCL Apac Area manager said that the plan is underway to refurbish this power transmission line however, it’s still pending approval from the electricity regulator.

“That work was scoped and forwarded to the regulator that is the Electricity Regulatory Authority, ERA so it has to be captured in the tariff for us to have money to work on it. We are actually looking forward to having a ring circuit to close that line from Lira Substation and Hoima, “he said.

He added that they are now sensitizing the community to protect the power transmission line since it is for the benefit of everyone.

“People should appreciate that this is a very expensive investment put by the government for the people. So, we are sensitizing our customers to always report something fishy happening on the power line so that we stop this kind of vandalism,” he said.

Vandalism and power theft cost the country an estimated Shs 2.6 billion annually with Western, Central, Busoga Regions hit hardest. Mbarara, Bushenyi, Masaka, Mukon, Mpigi, Wakiso and Luwero Districts registered the highest cases between 2020-2025.

Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited, UETCL spends over Shs 600 million every year on repairing vandalized power transmission lines across the country.

Vandalism undermines the government’s efforts to improve power affordability as sometimes the cost of repair is recovered through hiking the tariff and the fund which the government would have used to develop the power network is again invested in replacing the damaged infrastructure.