Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) has experienced a spate of transformer vandalism which has left residents in Kasungu District in darkness after four transformers were stolen in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mwase alone in four weeks.
The vandalism has disrupted businesses and essential services that depend on electricity such as maize mills, barbershops, welding shops, schools and clinics.
Speaking on Wednesday during community sensitisation campaigns on vandalism targeting community members in T/As Kaomba and Mwase, Escom chief public relations and communications officer Pilirani Phiri condemned the incidents, saying the vandalism drains resources meant to expand power connections.
“Vandalism is getting out of hand. We want communities to see a transformer as a health centre, as a hub for business and as the future for their children who use electricity to study at night,” he said.
Phiri said Escom loses about K3 billion annually through vandalism and that the Central Region alone requires about 70 transformers to replace those damaged or stolen.
“On average, a transformer costs about K25 million, excluding the associated labour costs,” he said.
Phiri said the sensitisation campaign sought to mobilise communities to take ownership of Escom infrastructure and change their mindset towards electricity equipment.
Senior Chief Mwase condemned the vandalism and urged community policing structures to remain vigilant in protecting electricity infrastructure.
He said communities should treat electricity infrastructure as an essential asset that contributes to their social and economic development.
The chief also called on Escom to investigate its former employees, arguing that ordinary people may not easily tamper with transformers without knowledge of how the equipment works.
On his part, Kasungu Police Station general duties officer Oscar Nkhoma expressed optimism that the vandals will be arrested.
He said police will intensify investigations and work closely with community policing structures to bring the perpetrators to justice.
