The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) has urged community leaders to use every available platform to raise awareness and encourage people to report any suspicious activities near power infrastructure. ESCOM’s Chief Public Relations and Communications Officer, Pilirani Phiri made the call during a sensitisation meeting with local chiefs, law enforcement officers, and community policing […]
The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) has urged community leaders to use every available platform to raise awareness and encourage people to report any suspicious activities near power infrastructure.
ESCOM’s Chief Public Relations and Communications Officer, Pilirani Phiri made the call during a sensitisation meeting with local chiefs, law enforcement officers, and community policing structures around Kanengo Police Station in Lilongwe.
Phiri stressed the need for community ownership and collaborative efforts in the fight against the vice.
The Corporation loses approximately K3 billion annually due to the theft and damage of equipment such as transformers and copper wires,
The initiative aims to combat the rising vandalism and theft of critical power infrastructure.
This engagement forms part of ESCOM’s anti-vandalism campaign, which seeks to reduce infrastructure damage—one of the major causes of prolonged power outages across the country.
According to ESCOM, the cost of repairs forces the utility to divert funds originally intended for new grid connections, underscoring the urgent need for concerted efforts to curb the vice.
ESCOM Regional Security Officer Labani Makalani warned that anyone found in possession of stolen or vandalised ESCOM equipment faces a 30-year jail sentence, with no option of a fine.
Kanengo Police Station has so far recorded 45 cases related to ESCOM’s power infrastructure, with 17 Malawians and two Indians among the arrested suspects.
Officer-in-Charge of Kanengo Police, Assistant Commissioner, Dan Sauteni, commended the cordial working relationship between law enforcement officers and community policing structures in ensuring safety within the area.
Kanengo Community Policing Coordinator, Henry Madzimayela, pledged to continue working closely with the Police but requested support in the form of equipment such as reflectors and torches for use at night.
ESCOM has conducted similar sensitisation engagements in Kasungu and Salima. Four transformers were vandalised within a span of four weeks in Kasungu.
