Rice and Maize millers from Kiryatete industrial area in Hoima municipality have stormed UMEME offices accusing Kiryatete Small Scale Millers limited of charging them illegal fees and carrying out illegal power disconnection.
They claim the association asks them to pay shillings 1 million annually and disconnects them when they fail to pay the money. Led by Vincent Mugisa of Savannah Maize Millers who is also district councilor representing Hoima municipality, the millers say the association claims to be acting on behalf of UMEME.
Mugisa says that for almost a week now they have gone without power after it was disconnected forcing them to close their businesses. He says that their pleas for reconnection have fallen on deaf ears as the officials ask them to pay the one million shillings subscription fee in order to be reconnected. Mugisa says this has prompted them to seek audience with UMEME to demand reconnection and an explanation over their dealings with Kiryatete Small Scale Millers Limited which they accuse of exploitation.
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The group also distances itself from the Millers Association questioning their existence as they do not know about them. Tony Butali, director Mazima and Company Maize Millers limited demands a refund of the one million shillings he paid to the millers association. Bearing a receipt of payment dated December 7, Butali says he paid the money after the association officials promised to reconnect him but nothing has been done.
John Olimi Nyabongo, Chairman Kiryatete Small Scale Maize Millers Limited, the association accused of defrauding the millers declined to comment on the matter when reached on phone saying he was attending a burial. Doreen Ogenga, UMEME area Manager Hoima and Masindi denies any working relationship with Kiryatete Maize millers limited.
She also refuses to reconnect the millers as demanded saying she needs to talk to the association officials first. A meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday for both parties to sort out the matter. Government recently came up with a policy for power consumers to form associations so that members of such associations would be charged reduced power tariffs. But the millers claim no association has been put in place in Hoima as yet and wonder who instituted Kiryatete Small Scale Millers Limited.
