Demo against electricity crisis unnecessary – Dausi

Malawi government spokesperson, Nicholas Dausi, has has described as unnecessary the  demonstrations organized by the Civil Society Organization  one way of showing their anger against Electricity Supply Coorperation of Malawi’s (Escom’s) poor service delivery leading to electricity blackouts.

Speaking at Central Office Information (COI) in Lilongwe on Tuesday, Dausi who is also Minister of Information and Communications Technology, called upon CSOs leaders to encourage people to plant more trees and preserve the already existing environment   if the country is  to get out of the mess, saying reliable rivers where there is  source hydro-power  have dried due to deforestation.

“Demonstrations will solve nothing, its waste of resources. These CSOs leaders are hypocrites, ill –informed and lack substance in the approach of very important issues that concern Malawians.

“Let them go to the citizenry and encourage them plant more trees to reverse the current situation where rivers are drying up due to deforestation which is worse now,” Dausi said.

He said that CSOs should have been the last group of people to appreciate the electricity challenges after their visit to a number of hydro-power stations recently where they saw that indeed it’s necessary to be patient enough.

“The issue should be handled in a multi-sectored approach. Government is getting into thermo- power generation, and very soon these issues will be a history.

“We are waiting for the arrival of these generators as anyone else may appreciate we are dealing with international procurement process that require ample time,” the Minister explained.

Dausi added that currently government is very committed by rehabilitating Kapichira and Tedzani 2 hydro-power generating stations to cushion the power outages.

“Government has plans in the pipeline to construct Mpatamanga gorge hydro-power stations as we try to explore other avenues to sort out the electricity challenges.

“This is after no any other previous government put any effort to do the same since 1963 when Nkula hydro–power station was constructed with a population of only 3.5 million only,” he stated.

Lead organizer Billy Mayaya and Chairman for Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC), Robert Mkwezalamba revealed that a petition will be delivered to Escom Officials.

The march is sxpected to start at Area 18 round about at exactly 7am to City Centre round about and then a U-turn to Council Offices.

“People have the right to demonstrate in order to communicate either anger or happiness,” Mkwezalamba pointed out.

CSOs have organized demonstration to be held in Lilongwe November 8, 2017 to push government to act on the power outages.