Police have arrested 14 people and seized a fuel tanker in Kibuli, Kampala, during an operation targeting an alleged illegal fuel business involving petroleum stolen from government and private institutional vehicles.
The operation was conducted on Monday under the leadership of Kabalagala Division Police Commander SP Francis Okongo. It followed intelligence gathered from media reports suggesting that some drivers routinely diverted official vehicles to concealed locations in Kibuli, where fuel was drained from their tanks.
During the raid, officers impounded a tanker with registration number UA 988BT, which investigators suspect was being used to collect and transport fuel obtained through the illegal operation.
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Police also recovered 80 litres of diesel, 10 litres of petrol, as well as several jerrycans and other containers allegedly used to store the siphoned petroleum products.
Deputy Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson ASP Luke Owoyesigyire confirmed the arrests, saying one suspect was caught while delivering an employer’s vehicle to the premises for fuel to be removed.
“We have 14 people in custody following a well-coordinated operation in Kibuli. One of the suspects was apprehended while bringing a vehicle belonging to his employer to have its fuel siphoned,” ASP Owoyesigyire stated.
He said the suspected racket was not confined to government institutions, noting that private companies were also believed to be losing significant quantities of fuel.
“This illegal practice is not limited to government vehicles; private corporate institutions are equally losing vast amounts of fuel to these cartels. We strongly suspect a coordinated network involving driver-syndicates and black-market buyers,” he added.
Police also raised concerns about the dangers of keeping large quantities of fuel in makeshift storage facilities within densely populated residential neighbourhoods.
Owoyesigyire warned that the use of unregulated premises to store petroleum products could trigger devastating fires, putting residents and property at risk.
“Storing bulk petroleum in unregulated and unsafe premises creates a massive fire hazard,” he said, adding that even a small spark could cause serious destruction.
He urged those involved to abandon the practice, warning that police operations would continue until the suspected network was dismantled.
The 14 suspects are being held at Kabalagala Police Station as detectives investigate the alleged operation, identify the institutions affected and trace the sources and intended buyers of the stolen fuel.
The arrests come at a time when motorists, transport operators and businesses are facing pressure from high fuel prices across Uganda.
In Kampala, diesel has been selling at approximately Shs7,290 per litre, while petrol prices have remained close to Shs7,000 per litre at many filling stations.
Last month, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr Monica Musenero told Parliament that Uganda’s liberalised petroleum market allows oil marketing companies to determine pump prices according to market conditions.
She explained that the prices are influenced by international crude oil costs, exchange rate movements, transportation expenses, operational costs and government taxes.
The pressure on fuel prices was further increased on July 1 following the implementation of the Excise Duty (Amendment) Act, 2026, which introduced an additional Shs200 excise duty per litre on both petrol and diesel.
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