A police officer and 17 other individuals have been remanded to Luzira Prison by the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court over their alleged involvement in vandalising power infrastructure—an act classified as terrorism under the Electricity (Amendment) Act, 2022.
Among the accused is Police Constable Driver Emmanuel Kato from Mukono Central Police Station, alongside co-suspects Joseph Semanda, Josephat Muhumuza, Yasin Mutyaba Ssalongo, Arafat Kakerewe, Yusuf Abdul Razak, and others. They appeared before Grade One Magistrate Andrew Katulubuki and were charged with committing acts intended to sabotage the national electricity grid across multiple districts, including Kampala, Luwero, Nakasongola, and Mityana, between April 2022 and May 2025.
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Given the seriousness of the charges—which include targeting critical installations such as the Nakasongola Military Hospital—the court, lacking jurisdiction over capital offences, deferred the matter to July 17, 2025, pending further investigations.
Outside court, Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) official Jonan Kiiza decried the rising trend of electricity vandalism, describing it as a form of economic sabotage. He warned that such acts increase electricity tariffs, strain public health due to misused transformer oil, and compromise service reliability.
Kiiza emphasized the broader national impact, stating that funds spent on repairs could otherwise be used to expand access and improve service delivery. He called on the public to treat power installations as community assets and to take collective responsibility in their protection.
Police spokesperson ACP Rusoke Kituuma assured the public of expedited prosecution, condemning the vandalism as both economically and socially destructive.
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