MUTHARIKA SPEAKS ON ESCOM POWER OUTAGES

President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has for the first time spoken on the continued power outages being experienced in the country, saying Malawians should hold their breath.

Mutharika said this on Monday at Kamuzu Palace in the capital Lilongwe when he held a media briefing aimed at updating Malawians on what transpired at the just ending Commonwealth heads of state summit held in Malta.

In his speech, Mutharika said he is aware of the challenges Malawians are facing as a result of the continued power outages in the country and he urged them to exercise patients, saying soon the challenge will be the song of the past.

Mutharika cited Chinese funded Kamwamba coal-fired power station which is to add about 300-megawatt (MW) as one of the relief to the current situation.

Apart from that, Mutharika said his administration is doing whatever it can to make sure that the challenge is resolved.

Electricity Supply Corparation of Malawi (ESCOM) attributed the recent power blackouts in the country due to the lowering of water levels in Shire River and the state owned company assured Malawians that the challenge will normalize once the rains start.