Kapito demands Escom compensation to electricity consumers

Consumers rights body, the Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) has demanded power utility company, Escom should compensate all electricity clients for duping them that the 25 per cent power hike in 2017 for gen sets would minimize power black outs.

Escom hiked the power tariffs by 25 per cent, saying the money was needed to hire gen sets which would minimize power black outs, but one year after the hike, the electricity black outs remain the order of the day as 4, 000 litres of fuel meant for the powering of the gen sets were allegedly stolen.

Cama executive director John Kapito said Escom should give back the 25 per cent tariff hike to its consumers.

“Escom clients were duped. They were duped to believe that they would have no electricity black outs after the 25 per cent tariff hike but this is not the case.

“This is why we are demanding that Escom need to compensate the clients for duping them, we will all what we can to ensure that the clients are duly compensated and we are not joking,” said Kapito.

Escom public relatios manager Innocent Chitosi was tongue tied on the matter.

He said the issue of the theft of fuel at Escom for the gen sets was under investigations by the prosecuting state agencies.

“I cannot comment much because the issue is under investigations ad the public would be told of the outcome of the investigations after everything is complete,” he said.

Escom has been embroiled in theft and corrupt tendencies and the government said some of the directors at the power utility state company have been fired to pave way for investigations.