Nine Umeme field employees deployed to disconnect illegal power lines in Iwumba village, Mayuge district survived being lynched by angry residents.
They were rescued by Busoga East police after residents ganged up and demanded to know why they were being disconnected yet they were previously connected under government's Rural Electrification Programme.
After close to 30 minutes of watching, residents surrounded Umeme's operational vehicles which were about to leave and demanded that all occupants disembark and return the disconnected wires or risk mob action.
According to Moses Byakika, a resident in the area, the process of distributing free electricity meters in their community was not effected due to unclear circumstances. This, along with the fact that planned beneficiaries were never briefed about the setbacks, made some residents to engage in illegal power connections with the help of corrupt Umeme employees commonly referred to as “kamyufus.”
Byakika argued that, rather than disconnecting all the wires in the area, Umeme would have instead first gathered intelligence and disconnected only those with illegal power connections.
Yusuf Mutalemwa, another resident in the area, stated that although there are cases of illegal power connections, most of their houses were connected under the Rural Electrification Programme, and there was no need to disconnect them all.
Mayuge district police commander, Bashir Siriba said that the disconnected electricity wires have been returned to the affected individuals, and harmonious meetings shall be conducted between Umeme teams, local leaders, and communities to resolve the matter. - URN/The Observer
