Mathanga tells ESCOM workers to serve all Malawians or quit
Minister of Energy Jean Chifuniro Mathanga has warned Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) employees against political, religious and tribal discrimination in service delivery, saying those unwilling to serve all Malawians professionally should leave the institution.
Mathanga delivered the warning during the official launch of ESCOM’s Faults Clearing Initiative in Lilongwe, where she challenged workers to demonstrate commitment, impartiality and professionalism in responding to electricity-related complaints.
She said Government had received complaints from consumers alleging that some ESCOM technicians prioritise customers based on political affiliation, while others delay responding to reported faults due to laziness and unprofessional conduct.
The Minister emphasised that ESCOM employees have a duty to serve every Malawian, irrespective of political affiliation, religion, tribe or geographical location.
“Once they go into ESCOM offices, they are there to serve all Malawians of their affiliation, whether political or religious… they are there to serve all Malawians of all tribes from Nsanje to Chitipa,” she said.
Mathanga warned that Government would not hesitate to demand the departure of employees who fail to change their attitudes, saying the country needs committed workers who understand their responsibility to the public.
She also said the newly introduced Faults Clearing Initiative was designed to address persistent complaints over delays in repairing electricity faults and restoring power.
The initiative will decentralise ESCOM’s operations through zonal arrangements, with motorbikes deployed to help technicians reach affected communities more quickly.
Mathanga said improved supervision and digital monitoring would also help track technicians’ movements and ensure that reported faults are attended to promptly.
She further attributed some electricity supply challenges to vandalism and technical problems involving equipment procured by the corporation.
The Minister disclosed that hundreds of transformers had remained unused after failing to meet required specifications, raising concerns about procurement standards and equipment inspection processes.
She appealed to the public to desist from vandalising ESCOM infrastructure, particularly copper cables and transformers, warning that such acts disrupt electricity supply and affect communities nationwide.
Speaking at the launch, ESCOM Director Welford Tsabola said the corporation had procured a substantial number of motorbikes to strengthen fault-clearing operations and improve the availability of technicians across the country.
Tsabola said ESCOM was targeting a response and restoration period of between two and three hours after faults were reported.
He acknowledged public concerns over delayed responses, saying the initiative was intended to improve the corporation’s ability to reach customers and restore electricity within a shorter period.
“We don’t want people to be languishing in the dark. So there have been some complaints from consumers that it is taking too long for ESCOM to respond. This is why we are taking this initiative now to see the right way to reach out to our customers in terms of fault clearing,” he said.
He added that the motorbikes would particularly benefit technicians working in remote areas, where accessing reported faults has often been challenging.
Tsabola also revealed that ESCOM had developed a digital monitoring platform to track technicians’ movements and activities, strengthen accountability and curb malpractice, including demands for bribes from customers seeking assistance.
The initiative is expected to improve response times, strengthen accountability and enhance electricity service delivery across Malawi.
