REG sets out to fight electricity theft

Other cases include people who tamper with meters to steal electricity or use illegal methods to connect households.

Besides dangers exposed on them as it can cause accidents that sometimes result in deaths, electricity accessories items thefts also cause losses in public revenues as money invested in connecting the nation to electricity is not returned which impedes the general population from getting benefits of taxes they pay adequately.

It also often causes unexpected power outages which affect the population’s daily works and businesses.

Stanley Nkubito Kamugisha, Head of Energy Efficiency and Revenue Protection Unit at REG told IGIHE that in the last 10 years, over 3000 people were arrested over electricity accessories theft and meter by-pass and recovered stolen power items worth Rwf3 billion.

Despite the item recovery, the electricity items can no longer be reused as they were damaged.

Thefts in Districts

Last year, 20 people were arrested in Kayonza District in connection with the theft of electricity but only five of them are in prison while all the others fled justice, according to the REG Manager in Kayonza, Jackson Muhoza.

These include those who used to illegally connect households to electricity and meter bypass. Kayonza District lost Rwf22 million to electricity theft while stolen power items including cables resulted in a Rwf40 million loss.

Martin Mutsindashyaka, the REG Branch Manager in Nyarugenge District of Kigali City says that arrested in electricity theft activities were seven people in 2016, three in 2017 while another five people have been so far arrested in this year.

Stolen electrical items in Nyarugenge in 2017 were worth Rwf 1.687 billion while electricity stolen in August this year was worth Rwf15 million.

This year has seen 21 individuals in Musanze District accused of a role in the theft of electricity and power items with two of them handed imprisonment sentences while three others are still being investigated by Rwanda Investigation Bureau.

Electricity thefts have seen Musanze District lose over Rwf6 million this year according to REG Branch Manager in the District, Joel Nsabimana.

The REG Branch Manager in Gicumbi District, Fulgence Nkundabakuze said this year, six people were caught in thefts of electricity as they consumed power they didn’t pay for a year while two months ago, four people were caught stealing power items.

Gicumbi District lost over Rwf2,5 million to power thefts while items including 11 meters stolen were worth Rwf11 million.

Nkubito says REG connects every household located in 37 meters from the electricity crossbar and consumers pay in installments in case they can’t afford power lumpsum payments which should stop people from stealing electricity.

He urged people to stop stealing electricity as REG has got the technology that detects thefts.

Measures

The Head of Commercial Cycle Performance Unit, Aime M.Uwanyirigira, said “REG has taken measures to stop losses caused by the theft of electricity and its accessories working closely with local leaders and customers.

Uwanyirigira said REG has set Rwf50,000 amount as a reward for someone who will share information about power thefts.

“We will keep working with local leaders as they are the ones who mostly give us information. We will also work with security agents not forgetting the general public so that offenders should pay for their wrongdoings,” says Joel Nsabimana, the Branch Manager in Musanze District.

Nsabimana urged Rwandans to seek electricity services only from Rwanda Energy Group and pay all the fees on its official bank account and know that all the money paid for electricity services in cash is a bribe. He urged people to report corruption attempts by calling the free line 3535 or send SMS to +250788310606.

Article 51 of the new law determining general offenses and penalties that was recently published in the official gazette punishes fraudulent consumption of electricity.[Source-IGIHE Network]