Cama On Escom’s neck

By Andrew Mwanandiye Tembo……

As the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi, (ESCOM) is proposing a 69.7 percent new electricity tariff adjustment, Consumers Association of Malawi(CAMA)requests current notable positive results from Escom’s current tariffs.

Escom has embarked on s journey where it is seeking to get inputs from general public on if raising the electricity tariffs to 69.7 percent will be appreciate and has its first engagement in the southern region in Blantyre on Monday as it will be the same with other remaining regions of the country.

Speaking during a Public Hearing on Escom 2023/2027 Electricity Base Tariff Application to Mera in Blantyre ,Chief Executive Officer(CEO) for the Consumers Association of Malawi, John Kapito said Escom should not rush in lobbying for funding describing it as a development that will just add pain in the end users.

“What we need is not ESCOM to ask for changes on the tariffs but should bring good results in its work there then we can agree to have further changes on the electricity tariffs, We want consistent supply of electricity in the country,the company has failed to improve .” said Kapito.

Kapito has since asked Escom to find ways of collecting huge debts from some government departments including State House and Water board.

He also said , asking for 69.7 electricity tariffs adjustment sounds a dubious move as Escom is failing to improve at large citing an instance of continuous black outs in some areas of the country,which is not a better key indicator to electricity users.

In reply , Chief Operations
Officer for Escom, Maxwell Mulimakwenda said the new tariffs will only run for four years.

Mulimakwenda also vindicated that some parasitatals are owning Escom huge sums of money for bills which need to be settled and he has given an example of Water Board which has outstanding bill of over 35 billion kwacha.

He therefore said lobbying for the adjustment will be necessary for Escom to pay power generators, fund its operations, cushion against devaluation and improve customers services.

On the other hand ,Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA)’s Chief Executive Officer ,Henry Kachaje commended both Escom and Cama for a better engagement and has since said will also hold other meetings in Lilongwe and Mzuzu aiming at enquirering from the general public on how best Escom can do its works to improve before adjusting the tariffs.