Page 5 - AfrElec Week 16 2022
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AfrElec POLICY AfrElec
Heavy penalties set for
vandalism of Uganda’s power
infrastructure
UGANDA UGANDA’S Parliament has approved the Elec- determined by the government.
tricity (Amendment) Bill of 2022, providing This will eliminate Umeme, the power dis-
heavy penalties for the theft or vandalism of tribution firm, from territories where it is not
power infrastructure in a bid to protect invest- licensed and in effect implements the presiden-
ment in industrialisation. tial directive on selling power at a tariff that dis-
infrastructure in a bid to protect investment counts expensive distribution costs.
in industrialisation. Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni recently
The bill provides for a UGX1bn ($285,000) directed that power should be sold directly to
fine and up to 15 years in jail for offenders. It fol- industries at a tariff that eliminates Umeme’s dis-
lows similar legislation by the neighbouring state tribution costs to spur economic growth through
of Kenya, which banned the scrap metal trade in industrialisation.
early 2022, following a surge of theft of electricity Emely Kugonza, Deputy Chairperson of
cables, transformers, metallic towers and other the Committee of Environment and Natural
related infrastructure. Resources called for an increase in penalties for
Uganda’s parliament said in an April 14 press illegal grid connections.
release that the passing of the Bill comes at a time He said the penalty should increase from
when the country has seen a spike in vandalism UGX100,000 ($28) or imprisonment for one
of power lines, transformers, poles and other year to UGX4mn ($1,125) or a ten-year sen-
related infrastructure. tence, or both, for vandalized electrical facilities,
The bill also provides for membership and repeat vandalism, and interference with electri-
funding of an Electricity Disputes Tribunal and cal works.
increases funding of the Electricity Regulatory Uganda’s Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwan-
Authority (ERA) from 0.3 % to 0.7 % of the rev- uka added, “The people taking down the power
enue received from generated electrical energy. lines and other infrastructures are not the com-
The bill also seeks to prescribe the circum- mon people down there. These vandals are very
stances under which the holder of a generation sophisticated people. So we need to make the law
or transmission licence may supply electricity very deterrent.”
to persons other than a bulk supplier at a tariff
Week 16 21•April•2022 www. NEWSBASE .com P5
