By Sam Kalimira
The Natural Resources Committee of Parliament has asked the Ministry of Energy to cancel with immediate effect a recently floated tender for the supply of electricity poles for Escom.
The committee’s chairperson Werani Chilenga says the current practice where Escom procures the poles from Zimbabwe and South Africa is in sharp contrast to President Lazarus Chakwera’s efforts of promoting the ‘Buy Malawi’ initiative.“Escom is using briefcase companies to import poles from Zimbabwe and South Africa.
For the past years, Raiply has not been given contracts to deliver poles that are locally made. “This is frustrating to our President’s dream of promoting Malawian products. So we are saying let the minister cancel all the deals on the recent bids so that we give room to Malawian companies,” Chilenga said.
Members of the committee and Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola toured a site where Raiply Malawi is treating electricity poles and producing briquettes at the company’s premises within the Viphya Plantation. Escom was not immediately available for comment but last year, the electricity supplier said the poles it had procured locally had turned out to be not durable
