Senior Reporter
The Internal Security Officer of Kabale District, Lauben Mutabazi, has issued a directive instructing security personnel conducting night patrols to take action against individuals caught red-handed stealing or vandalizing solar panels and batteries along major streets in Kabale Municipal.
Mutabazi made this announcement while representing the Kabale Resident District Commissioner, Godfrey Nyakahuma, at the official handover of the Kabale Central Market.
He emphasized that despite numerous efforts by municipal authorities and the District Security Committee, theft and vandalism of these items persist, resulting in significant financial losses for the government. Approximately 30 solar panels and batteries have been reported stolen or vandalized within four months.
Mutabazi underscored the urgency of the situation, stating that shooting to disable and disarm offenders is a necessary measure to combat this ongoing problem of vandalism and theft of government property along Kabale’s major streets.
Previously, Kabale Municipal Authorities proposed various solutions, including engraving identification marks on all installed equipment and offering rewards ranging from 500,000 to 1,000,000 shillings for information leading to the capture of culprits.
Additionally, scrap dealing was banned in the district to mitigate the issue, but these measures have proven ineffective, according to Mutabazi.
