A police officer has been injured in a violent altercation that erupted between residents of Soche in Blantyre and officials from the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM).

The residents had stormed the ESCOM offices at Ginnery Corner, demanding the restoration of power in their area.

The officer, identified as Blessings Suluma, was injured when a missile thrown by the angry crowd hit him, resulting in a minor cut on his face.

He was quickly rushed to the ESCOM Clinic, located within the premises, where he received medical attention.

The situation had escalated quickly, with police officers firing teargas canisters to disperse the protesting residents.

The residents had reportedly been frustrated by the intermittent power supply to the area, which had been caused by a faulty transformer that had not been repaired since October 2022.

The transformer eventually exploded on January 6, 2023, exacerbating the situation and leaving residents without power for an extended period.