Amid escalating cases of vandalism across the country, the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) Limited has launched a comprehensive, two-month anti-vandalism, safety, and wayleave campaign across districts in the Southern Region to fight back the vice.
The ambitious initiative is designed to tackle infrastructure theft and promote safe electricity use through intense community sensitization.
The campaign’s primary goal is to strengthen community participation by engaging over 100 Traditional Authorities (T/As) and more than 2,000 Group Village Heads (GVHs).
Speaking at an engagement session held at Paramount Chief Kaduya’s Headquarters in Phalombe on Wednesday 12th November 2025, ESCOM Outreach Officer Cosmas Kaunga emphasized the pivotal role of traditional leaders in safeguarding national assets.
“Chiefs are the cornerstone of development. They have a responsibility to work with ESCOM to ensure that electricity infrastructure is protected and that electricity-related accidents are prevented,” Mr. Kaunga stated.
He highlighted that rampant vandalism continues to derail ESCOM’s efforts to extend electricity to under-served areas. “ESCOM cannot continue replacing vandalized transformers, conductors, and poles at the expense of expanding electricity access,” he added, urging leaders to spread the message widely.
Communities Taking Action
The positive impact of local involvement was demonstrated by Group Village Head (GVH) Ganeti of TA Kaduya in Phalombe district who shared her community’s successful strategy after their transformer was vandalized twice.
“We decided to form a committee and hire guards, and we started contributing funds to pay them. Since then, we have not experienced any vandalism,” GVH Ganeti explained, encouraging other leaders to adopt similar community-led security measures for uninterrupted power supply.
Safety and Regulatory Compliance
During the session, ESCOM Southern Region Safety Officer Jimmy Kadammanja provided critical safety tips aimed at accident prevention.
“Please advise your communities not to touch or go near fallen poles or conductors. These lines may still be live and can cause electrocution,” Mr. Kadammanja warned. He also stressed the importance of using qualified electricians certified by the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA), noting the tragic consequences of non-compliance.
“We have recorded several serious accidents, including house fires and deaths, due to substandard wiring done by uncertified electricians,” he confirmed.
In response, GVH Chimbalanga of TA Chiwalo in Phalombe district pledged his commitment to safety. “It is our duty as leaders to safeguard our people. I will personally take responsibility to educate my community on the safety tips shared here,” he affirmed.
Additionally, ESCOM Wayleave Officer Moffat Nkhoma detailed the dangers of encroachment. “I urge you to always seek ESCOM’s advice before buying plots near power lines to avoid encroaching on electricity wayleave,” he advised, highlighting the dangers and illegality of construction or planting under power lines.
The campaign received an appreciative welcome from Traditional Authority (T/A) Kaduya who thanked ESCOM for bringing the vital information to his area, stating, “This information will go a long way in promoting continued electricity development and preventing accidents in our communities.”
Commenting on the initiative that has been rolled out, ESCOM Chief Public Relations and Communications Officer Pilirani Phiri cemented the institution’s commitment to protecting the national grid and expanding access.
“This campaign is vital to the stability of our entire electricity infrastructure. While ESCOM will continue to work with the Police to enforce the law against criminals, we cannot win the fight against vandalism alone. It requires a national collaboration, with every Malawian, community leader, and citizen taking ownership of this shared resource hence this campaign that we have launched,” Phiri said.
ESCOM loses about K3 billion kwacha every year due to direct costs as a result of vandalism.
