Police in Luwero District have detained two men, both previously employed by the now-defunct power distributor Umeme, on allegations of vandalizing electricity infrastructure, an act frequently associated with recurring power outages.

The individuals in custody are Godfrey Kamoga, a resident of Bajjo–Kisingiri Village in Bombo Town Council, and Geoffrey Kasagga from Namaliga West Village, also in Bombo Town Council.

According to Savannah Region Police spokesperson Sam Twiineamazima, the pair once worked for Umeme. He states in a released briefing that security agencies recently carried out a coordinated operation in Bombo Town and surrounding areas aimed at breaking up groups suspected of damaging power distribution equipment. The operation is still underway.

Twiineamazima notes that during interrogation, the suspects guided security operatives to several hideouts in the Nkokonjeru and Bajjo zones, where officers recovered stolen electrical materials. Among the items retrieved were two rolls of bare conductors, five rolls of three-phase ABC wire, smaller single-phase ABC cables, pliers, and guy grips. He adds that two other suspects, identified only as Medi and Ismail, are still being pursued.

Both the suspects and the seized exhibits have since been handed over to the Luwero Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for further processing. Twiineamazima urges members of the public to assist authorities in combating the destruction of electricity installations.

The arrests come in the wake of major changes in Uganda’s electricity distribution sector. On April 1, 2025, the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) officially took over national distribution following the end of Umeme’s 20-year concession. Before exiting, Umeme employed about 3,200 workers, though not all were absorbed into the new structure. Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa confirmed that 191 employees were declared redundant, explaining that UEDCL and the Ministry sought to avoid overlapping roles and minimize operational expenditure.

Cases of vandalism continue to trouble the Savannah region, which covers Luwero, Nakaseke, and Nakasongola. For example, on August 31, 2025, Reporters reported that police in Nakasongola launched a manhunt for vandals who stole more than 50 meters of power lines, leaving parts of Mulonzi Village in Nabiswera Sub-County without electricity. Officers recovered a pair of pliers at the scene and discovered that six electricity poles between Mulonzi Primary School and Mulonzi Trading Centre had been tampered with.

Earlier, in June 2025, URN documented persistent outages in Kalongomiti Zone, Luwero Town Council, after unidentified culprits vandalized several distribution lines.

During a visit to Luwero in May, 2025, part of his Parish Development Model (PDM) tour, President Yoweri Museveni addressed the rising vandalism. In his remarks, Museveni condemned the perpetrators as “enemies of progress,” likening the destruction of power lines to acts of sabotage against Uganda’s development. He further called for enhanced security presence and the installation of CCTV systems in high-risk areas to stamp out the ongoing threat.

URN