Residents urged to ioin fight against electricity vandalism and power theft in Fort Portal
The call was made during a community sensitisation engagement aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of destroying electricity infrastructure and promoting collective responsibility in maintaining a reliable power supply.
Residents of Rwaihamba Village in Fort Portal City have been urged to take an active role in protecting electricity infrastructure by reporting cases of vandalism, illegal connections, and power theft.
The call was made during a community sensitisation engagement aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of destroying electricity infrastructure and promoting collective responsibility in maintaining a reliable power supply.
Electricity providers warned that vandalism and power theft remain major threats to a sustainable electricity distribution network, causing prolonged outages, increasing operational costs, and diverting funds that could be used to expand and improve services.
Residents were encouraged to reject illegal power connections, report suspicious activities, and support efforts to safeguard electricity installations within their communities.
Officials noted that the effects of vandalism go beyond damaged equipment, as power interruptions disrupt critical services, including healthcare facilities, neonatal units, telecommunications, schools, security systems, and businesses that depend on electricity for daily operations.
They emphasized that protecting electricity infrastructure is a shared responsibility that requires cooperation between communities and service providers to ensure a safe, reliable, and resilient power network.
The sensitisation campaign is part of ongoing efforts to empower communities to become partners in preventing electricity-related crimes and promoting the lawful use of power for social and economic development.
