Police in Bukedi North Region are investigating the theft of electoral materials from the Butebo District Electoral Commission (EC) office after six lamps, each valued at Shs150,000, went missing under unclear circumstances.
The missing lamps were part of a consignment received earlier this month and stored inside the EC office premises, which were undergoing renovation at the time. The theft was reported under Butebo CRB 326/2025.
Bukedi North Regional Police Spokesperson, ASP Wilfred Kyempasa, confirmed the incident, saying the theft is believed to have occurred at an unknown time between November 17 and 22, while painters contracted to renovate the building had access to the rooms.
The complaint was made on November 27, 2025, by Mr John Orichom Puis, a 34-year-old Elections Assistant/Secretary attached to the Butebo District Electoral Commission.
According to the report, the Electoral Commission rents the premises from the landlord, Mrs Mwanamoiza Kikomeko Margaret, who hired painters from Kampala to carry out renovation works.
‘The renovation exercise, mainly painting, began on 17 November 2025 and was completed by 22 November 2025. Earlier, on 9 November 2025, the district received a consignment of electoral materials, mostly lamps and sealing tapes, which were stored in one of the rooms within the premises,’ ASP Kyempasa said.
On November 21, the painters reportedly moved the materials outside to allow painting and later returned them to the room and locked it. District staff also locked the room but did not verify whether all the items were intact.
Police say that on November 22, the painters shifted property belonging to the Commission driver into the same room so it could also be painted.
However, on November 27, when Orichom and the office attendant began reorganising the rooms after the renovation, they noticed that one of the boxes containing lamps was poorly sealed. Upon checking, they found that six lamps were missing. The office attendant conducted a thorough search and confirmed the loss.
ASP Kyempasa said police have opened a case file of theft, visited and documented the scene, photographed it and recorded statements from key witnesses.
He added that detectives are working to trace the suspects involved in the incident.
Police noted that the painters were residents of Kampala and were hired by the landlord, not the Electoral Commission, which limited the EC staff’s knowledge of the workers who had access to the rooms.
Investigations into the theft are ongoing.