Mzuni lecturer mad with load shedding, petitions ESCOM

It has come to our notice that the area where l stay in Chibanja North around what is called Africare and Evergreen Kandindindi Private hospital is being disproportionately affected by the intermittent black-outs or what ESCOM prefers to label load-shedding.

This observation comes amidst concerns of unnecessary black-outs in the area when other areas in Mzuzu city are electrically powered. Apart from other days when this has become precedence a major case in point are most Sundays when most parts of the city are cut-off. It has been noted that during such occurrences when electricity is cut-off around 5.30 am or so and other areas are switched on, the area per se remains affected by the black-outs up until 8 pm or even 9 pm in the night which brings to question the criteria for the whole process tempting some of us to believe that there is more than sheer load-shedding to the whole saga.

Rather we assume that considering the fact that a majority of people who stay in the area are not from the North maybe there are personal, political, tribal, ethnic, nepotistic or other issues that come into the fore to compromise professionalism which is tantamount to abuse of monopoly power over the provision of electrical energy to some consumers and contravenes the dictates of our republican constitution.

What l want to bring into perspective is that the disproportionate cut-offs of power in our area which has become a precedence has become unbearable considering the fact that we rely on electricity for most of our household activities especially during weekends when we are supposed to be relaxing and resting at home after a week of hard-work for the nation and unfortunately is the time when the unnecessary cut-offs are pronounced.
We are also loosing money especially on perishable consumables. Above all else as consumers it is unequivocal that we have the right to electrical power regardless of whatever reasons – personal, tribal, ethnic, nepotistic, political or otherwise known to Mzuzu Escom that we suspect have taken precedence over our due rights and are jeopardizing on their professionalism culminating in undue victimization of innocent consumers thus infringing on consumer rights.

Let me conclusively stipulate that what is happening is by any means unjustifiable and if the trend continues l will consider taking legal action on behalf of all the affected consumers against ESCOM as a board for discrimination and general violation of consumer rights as well as abuse of monopoly against innocent consumers of power and energy flouting dictates enshrined in our republican constitution.

Regards,
Mwale.m
MARISEN MWALE [Concerned Consumer] [Cell – 0999245017] [email protected]
C c – Minister of Energy and Mining
– The Chief Executive ESCOM
– The principal secretary – Minister of Energy and Mining
– The Chief Executive Consumer Association of Malawi [CAMA]