Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola has condemned the vandalism of Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) property such as electricity poles and wires, describing the conduct as retrogressive.
The Minister said this yesterday at Dzalanyama Forest Reserve in Lilongwe where some people have cut down eight wooden poles, stolen six pans of aluminium conductor and line accessories belonging to Escom.
Speaking at Dzalanyama, the Minister said the malpractice is affecting the development of the country in as far as the energy sector is concerned. He warned that those who are vandalising Escom property should be facing stiff punishment.
“I think as a country, we need to review our laws, this vandalism we call it economic sabotage and those who are doing this they should face the law. The vandalism in the Southern part of Africa has gone very very rampant and now they are breaking transformers in order to get the copper inside the transformer, the stay wire and the insulators.
“Now we have have seen that they are cutting down the poles and making pieces of fuel wood. So some of the fuel wood which we are buying in town in the urban cities they are from Escom power lines poles and this is very disturbing and we are making little progress as a country because millions of Kwachas are being vandalised here,” explained Matola.
The Minister added that his Ministry is working with the Police as well as the Ministry of Trade to end the malpractice, because there are issues of trade which have to be imposed when it comes to the scrap metals which are going out of the country.
Matola also called on Malawians to develop a spirit of patriotism and to guard Escom property.
The Minister noted that Government of Malawi spends a lot of money to replace these stolen Escom materials hence the need to stop vandalising the Escom materials.
On Saturday 4th March, 2023, a 26-year-old man identified as Nevas Chimphanje of Sinyala Village, Traditional Authority Masumbankhunda in Lilongwe District was arrested for cutting down Escom poles and theft of 1500 metres of conductor wires all valued at K9,750,000 at the forest reserve.
According to a report issued by Lilongwe police station, the man was caught by Katete Forest Rangers who were patrolling around Dzalanyama Forest Reserve.
Man arrested over vandalism of ESCOM poles and wires worth K9.8m
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