:: TANESCO LOSES TSH 796 MILLION OIL TO VANDALS - Published 04-10-2004.

Vandalism is costing the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) millions of shillings in oil thefts from its transformers, which may help to explain the erratic power supply in Dar es Salaam.

Last year alone, the company lost a staggering Tshs 796 million-worth of oil to vandals. The losses this year have reached Tshs115 million. The thieves find the transformers easy targets as they are largely unguarded. They siphon out as much as 70 litres for the small ones and up to 200 litres from the larger ones. The problem of vandalism, especially of transformer oil, is rampant in Dar es Salaam Region, says TANESCO's Public Relations Manager, Mr. Daniel Mshana.

The company is now offering a reward of Tsh 500,000 for information that will help arrest the vandals. Says Mr. Mshana: "Let the people understand that the reward will be given only to the person who gives information that will help to arrest the vandals." It is understood that a number of cases are already in court. Mr. Mshana says Dar es Salaam is divided into four electricity supply regions - Kinondoni North, Kinondoni South, Ilala and Temeke. The most common target areas have been Kinondoni North region, where 44 cases were reported last year, Boko, Darajani, Tegeta, Goba, Mbezi, Laskilomoni, Art Gallery, Wazo Hill, Mtongani, Salasala, Kunduchi and Jangwani Beach.

This makes Dar es Salaam the leading region in transformer oil vandalism in the country. The value of oil stolen from these 44 transformers is Tshs 115 million, says Mr. Mshana. This year, oil valued at Tshs 45 million from 16 transformers was stolen.

The stolen oil finds a ready market in small industries and homes where it is used to drive motors. It is also used as an ingredient in some beauty concoctions, sources say.

Giving a further breakdown, Mr. Mshana said that in Kinondoni South region, oil from 11 transformers was stolen last year. It was valued at Tshs 110 million. This year, oil worth Tshs 221 million from 22 transformers has so far been stolen. The most hit areas from Kinondoni South are Mbezi, Kimara, Kibamba and Kwembe.

In Ilala region, seven transformers have been vandalized, leading to a loss of Tshs 20 million this year. Last year, 33 transformers were vandalized leading to a loss of Tshs 217 million. Frequently targeted areas in Ilala are Tabata, Buguruni, Vingunguti, Ukonga, Pugu and Kisarawe.

In Temeke region, oil worth Tshs 5 million was stolen from four transformers. This year 12 transformers have been vandalized, leading to a loss of Tshs 53 million. Top targets here are Kigamboni, Kongowe, Mbagala, Temeke Mikoroshini and Bank Club Mtoni.

Mr. Mshana said that people who engage in vandalism must remember that they not only cause losses to TANESCO but also affect the national economy, because if the oil was used as planned it would help users to go ahead with their jobs instead of waiting for TANESCO to change transformers, during which time they are forced to stop working.

"When they vandalize, there is a loss; people lose revenue, we will not sell electricity, because there will be no oil for generating electricity," said Mr. Mshana.

"They are also causing losses to the company because we have to change transformers, and instead of TANESCO workers concentrating on areas where there is no electricity, they are forced to go back to spend their time on re-installing new transformers."

He added that vandalism hinders TANESCO's capacity to attend to all its customers' requirements. "Our customers may not understand why they sometimes miss power."

He explained that TANESCO has tried to sensitize society through the media so that it can help to solve the problem.

"At the same time we have established a hotline centre in collaboration with KPMG Tanzania Limited, an audit firm, which is helping TANESCO to curb the rampant problem," said Mr. Mshana.
(Publlished in The Citizen)