KCCA Staff Arrested For Stealing City Solar Street Lights

Security is tracking on a syndicate of criminals stealing batteries installed to power the Kampala city streets solar lighting.

A one Ssemogerere Issa a driver, Mwonge Ivan and Emmanuel Kyalingonza alleged to be Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) staff were cited on 24th June 2021 at 11.00am along Ssezibwa road in Kampala vandalizing security lights.

Ssemogerere

These criminals use official KCCA Cargo truck Reg. No UAZ 840Y to execute their mission, one of them was seen climbing up to remove the panel lights.

The trio later moved a small garage on 6th street industrial, where the panels are repacked and rebranded before being sold to the public. 

According to the source, the vehicle Reg. No UAZ 840Y was earlier cited along city square, Independence Monument, Entebbe road traffic lights, Fairway Junction, traffic signal junctions on the stretch between Kabira Country Club and Kiira Road Police Station, Jinja Road (Stretch between UMI and Airtel Round about), Nile Avenue, Kawempe-Lugoba stretch, and Kibuli with the same people dismantling street lights.

The source further revealed that from July 2020 to date at least 100 batteries installed to power the city streets solar lighting have been stolen.

The vandalism comes at a time when criminals exploit to target spots within the city center to attack and rob unsuspecting individuals on their way to work or from work.

According to the KCCA budget, the installation of solar lights on the newly constructed roads cost Shs400m, while the installation of one solar street light costs about Shs8m.

Some of the city roads with solar lights included Makerere Hill Road, Kira Road, Kampala Road, Nile Avenue, Kabaka Anjagala Road and Bakuli-Kasubi Road, Kintu Road, Bombo Road, City Square, Jinja Road, Bahai, Speke, Lugoba, Wansano, Mutundwe and Entebbe Road, among others. 

However, when you either branch off the main road or street, or continue to other city suburbs, the bright lights diminish and you have to manoeuver through potholed-dark alleys or streets, causing a lot of anxiety. 

Security further urge the public to be on the lookout by reporting any suspicious people around street lights.