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Unscrupulous individuals are conniving with truck drivers to siphon fuel from trucks
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The China Railway Seventh Group Company limited which is undertaking major construction works in the Albertine graben is losing 162 million shillings per month due to fuel theft.
The firm was contracted by the government to construct the Masindi-Biiso 54km, Hohwa-Nyairongo-Kyarushesha-Butole 25km and Kabaale-Kiziranfumbi 25.7km in Hoima, Buliisa, Masindi and Kikuube districts. The roads all together are measuring 97km.
However, the company is crying foul following increased theft of fuel from the company trucks.
Ambrose Twiine, the Public Relations Officer at China Railway Seventh Group Company limited says that the company loses more than 100 million shillings every month to fuel thieves.
He says many unscrupulous individuals are conniving with truck drivers to siphon fuel from trucks. Twiine says that fuel theft from their trucks is affecting the progress of the project.
Amlan Tumusiime, the Resident District Commissioner Kikuube says theft of other construction materials that include cement and iron bars is also rampant.
Theft of fuel on major road construction projects and other critical projects in the Albertine graben is rampant.
On April 13, 2021, police in Buliisa arrested three people for allegedly stealing fuel from trucks belonging to China Chongqing International Construction Company Limited-CICO. The company was contracted to work on the Hoima –Butiaba- Wanseko road.
The suspects identified as Charles Katwkwa 35, Jesero Wandera 36 and Abdallah Kusiima 19 were arrested in Buliisa town council after they connived with CICO truck drivers and siphoned fuel from the trucks.
In April 2018, detectives recovered 2,000 litres of diesel that had been stolen from the Hoima International Airport construction site in Kabaale village, Kabaale Parish, Kabaale sub county in Hoima district and arrested nine people for allegedly siphoning fuel from company vehicles.
The suspects were using a pick-up truck to transport the siphoned fuel to Kampala.
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