Minister Okaasai Warns Vandals over Theft of Electricity Infrastructure

The State Minister for Energy, Sidronius Okaasai Opolot has cautioned those involved in vandalizing electricity infrastructure to stop otherwise the Shs1 billion fine or a 15 years jail term awaits whoever is found guilty.

Parliament passed the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022 on 13 April 2022 at a time when the country had been experiencing vandalism of power lines, transformers, poles and other related infrastructure.  The bill provide for deterrent penalties for theft of electricity and vandalism of electrical facilities

“Government has reviewed the law on electricity and anybody caught tampering with electricity infrastructure commits an offense of terrorism against the Uganda government and is charged with a fine of one billion shillings or face imprisonment for 15 years or both” the angry minister noted.

Okaasai made the remarks while commissioning two power lines in Wabitosi village, Nkandwa sub-county and in Nakasengere village Nakasozi sub-county in Kiboga district.

He urged the locals to use the electricity to transform their lives, asking local leaders to always report with electricity vandals.

“You should report whoever tries to tamper with electricity infrastructure and they face courts of law” the minister noted.

He added that under the country’s vision 2040, the government plans to transform the country from predominantly low income to competitive upper middle income, adding that electricity is vital for economic development.

Meanwhile Kiboga district Residential District Commissioner (RDC) Ms Mariam Nalubega Sseguya commended the Uganda government for transforming people’s lives by extending power to the locals.

“This power commissioning comes with so many opportunities to the people of these sub-counties especially the youths because jobs will be created through industrialization among others “she noted.

The Rural electricity project is a partnership project between the Uganda government and China Exim Bank to ensure that many parts of the country are connected to the national grid. The project has been under implementation in 91 districts.

The vandalism of electricity lines and towers has in the past months plunged the country into unnecessary load shedding due to less power.

The electricity vandalism poses a huge threat to the country’s economy in that the government now needs more than billions to restore the vandalized power lines that have led to constrained capacity of transmitting power.