Two people including a 7 year old girl were on Wednesday confirmed dead after they were electrocuted when they came into contact with a live electricity conductor wire in Namisindwa district.
The deceased include Munika Catherine 36 and her grand daughter Sofia Naume -aged 7 years, all residents of mubono village, mukhuyu sub-county, in Namisindwa district.
It’s alleged that there was an illegal power connection and the incident was triggered by heavy rainfall which caused the wire connectors to sag and bend, and the deceased came into contact with the naked live wires hence killing them on spot.
The kid was killed when she attempted to touch her mother who was already in contact with a live wire.
Rogers Taitika, the Police Spokesperson Elgon sub-region, cautioned the public always acquire power connections through official procedures to avoid illegal power connection because it can lead to their death.
According to available records, electrocutions are most common in Bugisu sub-region because of the rampant illegal power connections.
The body of the deceased has been taken to Mbale City mortuary for postmortem as investigations continue to ascertain the actual cause of deaths and apprehend the culprits.
Besides taking lives, theft and vandalism of the electricity infrastructure heavily costs the sector. On average, Umeme loses sh100b annually in power theft and vandalism, according to available records.