Power distributor Umeme has said it has collected up to a billion shillings in penalties from its customers consuming electricity illegally through theft. 

The company says it has collected the money from customers in Najjanankumbi, Nakulabye, Nateete, Wandegeya, Mukono, Jinja, Pallisa, Mbale and Masaka between March and August. 

Energy losses, of which power theft is a subset, increased to 17.9%, up from 17.5%, according to Umeme’s unaudited interim financial statement for the six months ended June 2021. 

Umeme staff disconnect an illegaly connected wire during operation Komboa in Rubaga division. (Photo by Benon Ojiambo)

“The COVID-19 restrictions impacted our ability to execute our loss reduction programme during the period. We continue to note with concern the increased tendency of tampering and vandalising electricity infrastructure, including metering installations by some unscrupulous members of the public,” Selestino Babungi, Umeme’s managing director, said in a press statement. 

Last year, losses were one of the biggest contributors to the company’s poor financial performance that saw its net profits decline by 69%. 

This forced the company to relaunch its fight against illegal connections in a joint operation dubbed Komboa with the Uganda Police in March. 

A Umeme staff checks a prepaid meter for aunthenticity during operation Komboa in Rubaga division. (Photo by Benon Ojiambo)

Babungi added that with the support of the Uganda Police, Umeme has resumed field operations, and any culprits found would be prosecuted in the courts of law. 

“Power theft endangers the lives of many innocent persons, especially children and women because they do not usually know where the illegal cables are hidden or buried so they could avoid them,” he added. 

Continued prevalence has been attributed to the low fines and short jail terms for perpetrators.