Police in Jinja city on Monday, July 15, arrested Yusuf Kanyomozi, a renowned electricity vandal for allegedly causing government financial loss to a tune of 170m.
The 38-year-old resident of Budhumbuli East – Bugembe in Jinja city was commonly known as Kanyankole. He has been illegally providing power to area residents, connecting whoever paid him.
Kiira regional police spokesperson SP James Mubi described Kanyankole as the Busoga sub region electricity chief thief.
“At the time of his arrest, in school zone – Budhumbuli, he led police to the recovery of solido cable wires that provided illegal connections to more than ten homesteads,” Mubi said.
Reliable information indicates that the suspect has been the power supplier in areas of Bugembe, Mafubira, and Walukuba – Masese in Jinja city where hundreds of consumers are illegally connected. Even in areas of Butagaya subcounty and the town councils of Namagera, Buwenge, Buyengo, and Kakira in Jinja district, Kanyankole had customers.
“By extension, he’s reported to coordinate power theft in the districts of Iganga, Bugiri, Luuka, Namutumba, Kaliro, Kamuli and Namayingo,” Mubi added.
Mubi said that according to CCTV footage, the suspect is the person behind the mobilization of the demonstrations against UMEME – police operations and sensitization programs in Jinja.
Police cautioned the general to desist from illegal power connections to avoid loss of lives and causing government financial loss in the form of low revenue collection.
Kanyomozi is charged under the Electricity Amendment Act 2022 section 86A (1) b, but Mubi noted that efforts are ongoing to have his accomplices arrested.
