The distributors of electricity in Uganda inflate the bills of some customers. In Uganda, some one can consume 20,000 Uganda shillings and the distribution company multiplies this figure by 10.  Uganda is one of the countries in the world which over charges and inflates the bills of its customers.

As a result of ill treatment of electricity consumers in Uganda, the citizens of Uganda resorted to power theft. Most of Ugandan power consumers whenever asked they say they engage in power thefts because power companies like UMEME also cheat them.

However, Henry Rugamba, Umeme’s head of communications, urges Ugandan electricity consumers to stop power thefts as the vice is against the law and the practice has made power companies to lose billions of shillings annually.

Instead of reducing on power tariffs, the ministry of Energy in Uganda only plans to imprison/fine people who steal electricity.

The government plans to amend the Electricity Act, 1999 to prescribe stiffer penalties for power theft. James Baanabe, the Commissioner for Energy says that the current penalties have not checked on thefts of power.

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