Blantyre residents take Escom to task over connectivity

Angry residents from Pensulo in Blantyre on Tuesday morning marched to Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) Powerhouse to express their grievances over electricity connection in their area.

The residents, who were led by councilor for Chigwaja Ward in Blantyre City West Constituency Thomas Kaumba, said they are fed up with Escom as they have been applying for connectivity to their houses since 2003 and paid money ranging from K20 000 to K40 000 as connection fee.

Speaking on behalf of the residents, Kaumba also said they were dismayed by the fact that Escom had connected a house belonging to one of their employees (name withheld) who resides in the area at the expense of other residents who have been struggling to have the connection.

He said, “Since 2003, these people have been waiting patiently for their houses to be electrified and Escom officials have been approached on numerous occasions but they decided not to do so and this is despite them bringing a transformer that the residents have been looking after.

“The residents took the initiative of employing two guards up until it became operational. However, we were saddened that one of their employees came into the area, got connected before any of us and started insulting us.”

Kaumba further called on Escom to have their employee disconnected, warning that not doing so will call for further action which he did not specify.

Group village head (GHV) Che Mtuwa of the area also expressed dismay over the manner in which Escom has handled the issue, stressing that they would at all cost make sure they get electricity and have their employee disconnected to feel the pain.

She said, “We have walked all the way from Pensulo just to show them that they (Escom) should not take us for granted. We have tried to meet them on several occasions with the hope that they are going to hear our plea, but it seems that has yielded nothing and they have left us with no option but to protest.”

However, efforts to get a reaction from Escom officials on the issue proved futile as they were out of reach.

CAPTION

Some of the residents captured outside Escom powerhouse yesterday.