Escom under fire for 40-day power celebration
The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) has come under fire from some consumers for celebrating 40 days of uninterrupted power supply in the country.
Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) executive director John Kapito, in a written response, on Wednesday said there is nothing to celebrate about because Escom is not providing electricity for free and that it is mandated to provide uninterrupted power.
He said: “Why is Escom bragging for giving us what is our right? It’s sad that they are surprised to deliver a service without any interruptions for 40 days.
“We want and deserve uninterrupted supply of electricity in 365 days as per their service charter.”
Cama has challenged Escom to enhance means of sustaining power supply as per its mandate if it is to receive praise from consumers.
Cama’s sentiments come a day after Escom released a statement celebrating 40 days of uninterrupted power supply.
According to the statement, Escom said it has gone 40 days without load shedding, with the last load shedding recorded on December 25 2019 and affected the morning group only.
Energy expert Grain Malunga said yesterday alternative use of energy sources could help Escom have sustainable power throughout the year as catchment areas will be preserved. Currently, only 11 percent of Malawi’s population has access to electricity.
