The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has asked President Lazarus Chakwera to take the lead in finding long-lasting solutions to the electricity problems rocking the country. 

According to a statement issued by the Coalition’s Chairperson Gift Trapence, Malawians need practical solutions to deal with the challenge unlike sweet-laced rhetoric.

He said: “We have had enough of sweet-laced rhetoric and Malawians want practical solutions to their problems. If need be, the Malawi government can borrow a leaf from Zambia to learn how our neighbours dealt with similar problems.”

HRDC has also asked government go back to Parliament to revise the Act that should bundle Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom), Electricity Generation Company (Egenco) and Power Market Limited (PML) in order to cut cost.

“This would reduce the duplicity currently in place that only drains public resources without adding value to the consumer’s right to electricity,” Trapence said.

The Coalition has since issued a 30-day ultimatum to government to solve the matter, failing which HRDC will mobilise Malawians to hold nationwide protests.

“We are giving government a 30-day ultimatum to solve this problem failing which we will mobilise Malawians to hold countrywide protests on 12 October 2022,” Trapence said.