Another national power shutdown

Maravi Express

Electricity Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) says they experienced a system shutdown on Saturday morning at 11:44hrs resulting in loss of power supply countrywide.

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While the power supply company was yet to establish the cause of the system shutdown, says “efforts are being made to restore power supply at the earliest possible time”.

“We will keep you updated of any developments,” said a statement that has been widely circulated to media houses as as 12:00hrs.

“We urge our customers to switch off electrical appliances as power supply may be restored earlier than expected.”

The national blackouts keep resurfacing prompting Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA) to advise President Lazarus Chakwera in August to take the trend as a national economic and social crisis.

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The President was also asked to establish a Commission of Inquiry that will investigate the continued blackouts other than transferring such a responsibility to the Ministry of Energy, “which has already failed to find solutions over the last years, despite making empty promises”.

CAMA maintained that the implications of poor electricity supply continue to hurt the country economically and socially, especially the poor and therefore this matter must be given the highest Presidential intervention

In the statement, CAMA Executive Director, John Kapito said the President should be seen to be concerned with continued blackouts — “some that appear to be as a result of sabotage” and “must be concerned and ashamed when airplanes are failing to land in the country because the country has no electricity at the Airports”.

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