31
Oct

REG Chief Executive Officer, Ron Weiss (Middle from right) and Managing Director of EUCL, Maj. Eng. Jean Claude Kalisa (Middle from left), while addressing journalists on 31 October, 2017 at REG Headquarters

Ron Weiss, the Rwanda energy group CEO has condemned illegal connections by REG impersonators that have caused injuries and deaths in Gasabo and Rusizi districts. While addressing journalists, Weiss warned the general public to always seek technical or other assistance on electricity related connectivity or any other issues related to electricity from REG/EUCL branches in their respective districts  to avoid electricity related fatalities, injuries, and property loss.

According to the REG boss, the public must only use technicians employed at their different branches across the country to avoid such occurrences. He said this at a news briefing on 31 October, 2017, following incidences of 3 electrocutions and 4 injuries which were recorded Gasabo, Rusizi and Musanze districts.

Weiss said REG will not tolerate anyone who gets involved with illegal electricity connectivity or damaging electrical infrastructure and called on the public to immediately report them to avoid fatal incidents. “Electricity connectivity and maintenance is only done by authorised technicians. We need the public to help us trace any suspicious person involved in using substandard materials on our electricity infrastructure without permission,” he said.

He said there have been several cases where different unqualified technicians all over the country masquerade as REG employees, telling citizens that they can help them access electricity or repair their installations. Due to these unscrupulous individuals, he said, accidents have occurred because of the substandard work and materials used by these people.

On 22nd October, two girls were electrocuted in Gasabo district after they came in contact with live electrical wire that was illegally used to share electricity between two households.

Meanwhile, another girl died in Rusizi District while her two colleagues were seriously injured trying to save her, while a 10-year-old pupil and 31 year old man were also injured in Musanze due to electrical shock on 29th October, 2017.

EUCL and REG staff at press conference on 31 October, 2017

Jean Claude Kalisa, the managing director of Energy Utility Corporation Ltd (EUCL), asked people to contact their nearest branch whenever they need any assistance on power installation or other related issues.

He said no service fee should be charged by any of their technician, adding that no one should have a reason to fall for quack electricians.

“We have allocated branches countrywide to make sure our services are satisfactorily within our customers’ reach on time. So people don’t need to lose their lives due to bad installations made by unprofessional technicians and dealing with them should not be an excuse, because they only cause danger than solve problems. We have qualified technicians who can help them at any time and no cash is given to them because any payment must be made through the institution’s accounts,” Kalisa said.

“We need collaboration with the community to end such incidents. Our clients should carefully check on uniforms and service cards of all the technicians to be sure they are from REG and help us weed out impersonators,” he said.