By Hopeson Kafumbwa
To proactively curb escalating vandalism cases of ESCOM’s property, the Central West Region of the Police will launch a ‘Take ESCOM to Communities’ campaign.
The region’s community policing head, Sup. Byson Golden, said they will conduct the campaign jointly with ESCOM later this month.
Golden said the campaign seeks to raise awareness on the dangers of vandalising ESCOM infrastructure.
He said the campaign will target Ntcheu, Dedza, Mchinji, Lilongwe City, Kawale, Lingadzi, Kanengo, Lumbadzi, and Kasiya.
Golden said the police and the power utility company will work together to encourage community engagement and support in tackling this widespread vice.
He also said it was important fostering dialogue with inter-faith groups and holding consultative meetings with local stakeholders to reduce acts of vandalism.
“ESCOM and the Malawi Police Service need to work closely with local communities to prevent people from tampering with the corporation’s infrastructure,” he said.
He further noted that while law enforcement has traditionally responded with arrests after crimes have been committed, this new campaign aims to proactively address the problem before it escalates.
Golden said the campaign aims at increasing civic education on the dangers of vandalism and its impact on communities.
“It’s crucial that people understand the consequences of damaging ESCOM’s infrastructure, not just for the utility [company] but for the entire country,” he said.
“Additionally, we will educate the communities on how to clearly distinguish between legitimate ESCOM staff and potential criminals posing as employees. By doing so, communities would be better equipped to identify and report suspicious activities, contributing to the prevention of further vandalism,” he said.
ESCOM Chief Public Relations Officer, Kitty Chingota, expressed strong support for the campaign, applauding the police for taking the initiative.
“Vandalism of ESCOM property has become one of the biggest challenges of our institution and the nation at large as it sabotages the economic activities in the country. Every day, we hear reports of transformers being tampered with or stolen, or transmission wires and poles being damaged,” she said.
Chingota said such criminal activities impact ESCOM’s ability to supply reliable power to the nation.
“This malpractice has undermined our commitment to ensure reliable power supply to our customers. But with the launch of this campaign, we are optimistic that we can curb vandalism, restore service reliability, and improve the overall quality of service to our communities,” she said.
