Minister of Energy Dr. Jean Mathanga has told Parliament that increasing cases of vandalism and theft of electricity infrastructure are slowing down the government’s efforts to expand electricity access across Malawi.
Speaking in response to a question from Dedza Boma Member of Parliament Howard Mzambweulemba, Mathanga said more than 100 areas across the country have reported incidents involving stolen or damaged transformers, cables and other electricity equipment.
The minister was responding to concerns over when a transformer stolen from the Nachilambo Water Pumping Plant would be replaced, saying such incidents continue to undermine the implementation of electrification projects.
Mathanga explained that theft and vandalism of electricity infrastructure have forced authorities to delay some development projects while disrupting power supply to households, businesses and public institutions that depend on reliable electricity.
“It has also disrupted power supply to households and institutions that depend on stable electricity,” she told Parliament, stressing that the destruction of public infrastructure has far-reaching consequences on service delivery.
She further noted that government is being compelled to divert resources that were intended for new electricity connections and maintenance works towards replacing stolen or damaged equipment, slowing the pace of expanding electricity access.
According to the minister, the Ministry of Energy is assessing the root causes of the increasing cases of vandalism, citing poverty, lack of community ownership of public infrastructure and inadequate security around electricity installations as some of the contributing factors.
Mathanga said the ministry has begun implementing measures to safeguard electricity infrastructure by working closely with law enforcement agencies, local leaders and communities to strengthen surveillance and encourage the reporting of suspects involved in vandalism and theft.
She assured Members of Parliament that the government remains committed to expanding electricity access across the country but emphasized that protecting public infrastructure is essential to ensuring electrification projects are completed on schedule and that communities continue to receive reliable electricity.
