By Cosmas Kaunga, ESCOM Outreach Officer
Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) Limited Public Relations Manager Kitty Chingota says acts of vandalism continue to pose a threat to the corporation’s efforts to provide quality and reliable power supply to the country.
Chingota said this at an engagement meeting organised by Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Mzimba on Friday, January 12 2024 to enlighten the customers on the causes of persistent blackouts in the district.
Chingota said electricity equipment is key to ensuring reliable power supply; hence, vandalism of these assets is detrimental to the economic development of the country.
“Vandalism poses a greater threat to improved electricity supply to the district. It is worrisome to hear that up to date some retrogressive individuals continue to steal ESCOM’s earth wires, stay wires, damage transformers and break insulation disks,” she said.
According to Chingota, ESCOM is equally concerned with the district’s ongoing blackouts because they have an impact on the company’s ability to generate revenue.
“We understand the impact which these blackouts have on businesses, health and other interrelated sectors. On our part, we have lost approximately K19, 700, 000 in three months, starting from November 2023 to January 2024,” she said.
Mzimba Police Station Officer in-Charge, Sydon Mpina, called on ESCOM officials to report cases of vandalism to his office.
Mzimba CSO Network Chairperson, Christopher Milele, commended ESCOM for engaging the stakeholders on the issue of vandalism.
The meeting follows growing cases of vandalism of ESCOM assets in Mzimba.