Concerned community members from Fuliwa in Senior Chief Wasambo in Karonga District have planned vigils tomorrow at Wovwe Hydro Electric Power Station for allegedly not providing  surrounding villages with power.

According to a petition addressed to district commissioner Paul Kalilombe and copied to Electricity Generation Compan (Egenco), Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) and Chilumba Police Unit, the group alleges that the companies have failed to implement their corporate social responsibility in the area.

Gwaza: We don’t connect power

In an interview on Friday, the group’s chairperson Prosper Gondwe said the utilities have failed to supply power to Fuliwa Health Centre which is three kilometres away from the power station, and Fuliwa Community Day Secondary School (CDSS).

“Wovwe Hydro Power Station, which was commissioned in 1996, is also failing to provide clean and hygienic water to community members,” he said.

Gondwe also accused Egenco of dumping its used oil into Wovwe River.

Kalilombe said his office will engage all concerned parties to map the way forward as some of their concerns were genuine.

“This week my office will engage Egenco, Escom and community members to see how best to deal with the problems raised in the petition,” he said.

But Egenco spokesperson Moses Gwaza said it was not their mandate to provide free electricity to institutions let alone connecting power to users.

“Escom is the one responsible for connecting and distributing power in the country,” he said.

Gwaza said their clinic serves the community and Egenco built school blocks at Fuliwa CDSS.

On his part, Escom public relations manager Innocent Chitosi said his institution has approached the DC’s office to facilitate the meeting to see how best Escom can help the community.

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