Abida Mia Accused of Ordering Transformer Removal After Defeat in Chikwawa Nkombezi

The defeated Member of Parliament for Chikwawa Nkombezi Constituency, who also served as a cabinet minister in President Lazarus Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party (MCP) administration, Abida Mia, has come under fire for allegedly directing Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) officials to remove a transformer at Mphungu Trading Centre in the area of Senior Chief Ngabu in Chikwawa.

Reports indicate that Mia acted in anger following her loss in the 16th September general elections, where she was unseated by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Loyidi Malola.

According to community sources, Mia insisted that the transformer belonged to her personally, claiming she had purchased and installed it using her own funds during her tenure as MP. Following her electoral defeat, she is said to have demanded its removal, telling the local community to approach the newly elected legislator, Malola, for any future reinstallation or alternative power supply.

When contacted for comment, Mia could not be reached as she did not answer calls made to her phone.

The development has sparked outrage among constituents, who argue that the decision unfairly punishes ordinary people who rely on electricity for business and daily needs. Community leaders described the move as politically vindictive and a betrayal of the very people Mia had once vowed to serve.

The controversy comes against the backdrop of Malawi’s highly competitive 16th September elections, which saw MCP suffer significant losses despite being the ruling party. The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) announced that a total of 14 cabinet ministers, including Mia, were ousted from Parliament. The DPP, under former President Peter Mutharika, made a strong comeback by reclaiming several constituencies, particularly in the southern region, where Chikwawa has long been regarded as a battleground.

Political analysts have said the results in Chikwawa Nkombezi reflect broader voter dissatisfaction with the MCP’s governance, especially on issues of economic hardship, unemployment, and erratic power supply. Mia, who was once regarded as a political heavyweight in the Lower Shire and a potential future leader in the party, now faces criticism not only for losing her seat but also for her alleged retaliatory actions against the very people she represented.

The issue of the transformer at Mphungu Trading Centre is now being viewed as symbolic of a wider debate in Malawi about the role of MPs in development. While many parliamentarians claim credit for infrastructure projects, development experts argue that such initiatives are supposed to be public goods, not private donations tied to electoral fortunes.

With tensions high in Chikwawa, residents now await clarity from ESCOM on whether the transformer was indeed privately purchased or installed under government programmes. Meanwhile, all eyes are on newly elected MP Loyidi Malola, who faces immediate pressure to address the power crisis in his constituency and prove his worth to the electorate.