Matola hits back at Mutharika over blackouts

Former Cabinet Minister of energy who is also current People’s Party Secretary General, Ibrahim Matola has said the PP led government invested heavily in energy sector under the umbrella of clear road map, Economic Recovery Plan (ERP).

Matola was responding to Malawi President speech made in Salima in which he blamed previous Governments for electricity and water saying they did not invest much.

But Matola said all projects which Government is implementing now started by the PP Government.

“We  invested in Kammwamba coal powered and this Government is just finishing, PP brought Intra energy of Australia, we brought inter connector company, we  had built Kapichira power hydro plant where we added 64 megawatts,  we had no blackouts during the PP government,” said Matola.

Matola said the PP administration also built fuel reserves.

“In fact Joyce Banda  commissioned them at Msondo in Mzuzu, these people have just finished our project, so it is wrong that instead of addressing the real problems we are busy finger pointing,” said Matola.

On unbundling of ESCOM, Matola said that is also not a solution.

“The problem is that there is rampant corruption in ESCOM tenders are all restricted and given to their relatives ESCOM is not investing in maintenance when I was a Minister I found three companies belonging to one person supplying everything , I view it as corruption,” said Matola.

Matola unbundling has never worked anywhere its just a means to give the job themselves.