Transgression in the energy infrastructure landscapes of cities

Transgression is not always illegitimate, but rather an alternative means for citizens to challenge statist notions of orderly cities. This paper examines why transgression persists in energy infrastructure landscapes, based on a case study of illegal connections to the grid in Kampala. Transgression in Kampala is bolstered by actors known as the ‘Kamyufu’, who circumvent electricity regulations to facilitate transactions that remove obstacles to inclusive electricity access. Illegal tapping of electricity transcends individual energy needs. It is often triggered by intergroup ties amongst consumers, Kamyufu, local security officials and former utility workers seeking to confront state policies that bring about orderliness but devoid of opportunities for inclusive energy access. Responses by power distributors do not often face up to the motivations underlying transgression, since it requires more than introduction of technologies for monitoring power theft. The paper concludes that orderliness and inclusivity need to be pursued simultaneously in energy infrastructures.