Cable Thieves Plunge Six Mukono Villages into Darkness

Residents of six villages in Nakisunga Sub-county, Mukono District, are reeling from a wave of night-time attacks by unidentified individuals who cut and stole electricity cables from poles and Light (Yaka) meters, leaving hundreds of homes in the dark and communities on edge.

The affected villages — Ntulumuko-Gaza, Kiwugo, Nangwa, Bbanda, Namuyenje, and Katente-Gaba — were targeted in a coordinated series of thefts carried out under the cover of darkness.

Witnesses say the culprits used a vehicle to move quickly between locations, slicing wires from electric poles with apparent precision.

In Katente-B, residents interrupted one of the thefts, forcing the attackers to flee before making off with the stolen materials.

But they left behind cut cables, some of which remained dangerously live.

“We are living in fear,” said one concerned resident from Namuyenje.

“The cables left behind still have electricity running through them. Children could be electrocuted at any moment.”

Beyond the blackout, the thefts have sparked safety concerns and disrupted both household and commercial activities.

Several families have reported damage to electrical appliances, while the loss of lighting has heightened insecurity in the affected areas.

Local leaders, including Nakisunga councilor Johnson Kazungu, believe the thieves may have technical knowledge of the electricity sector.

“This is not the work of random thieves,” Kazungu said.

“These are people who clearly know what they are doing. Ordinary criminals don’t just climb poles and cut live wires.”

The area’s Government Internal Security Officer, Mulumba Basajjanume Tekamwa, said the suspects are likely to be familiar with the local terrain, suggesting they may be residents or have inside help.

Mukono Deputy RDC Hassan Kasibante linked the surge in cable thefts to recent restructuring in Uganda’s electricity distribution sector.

He acknowledged that similar attacks have occurred elsewhere in the district and said he has alerted the police and other security agencies, including the firing squad unit, to intensify patrols and apprehend those involved.

Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) spokesperson Jona Kizza confirmed that the utility was already working on restoring power to the affected villages.

He urged residents to remain calm and to avoid engaging people seen working on power lines.

“Restoration works are underway,” Kizza said.

“We ask communities to remain vigilant but not to attack or assume that every worker near a power line is a thief.”

As the search for the suspects continues, residents say they want more than just patrols — they want permanent protection from the growing threat of organised infrastructure theft.