Copper wire, water meters selling like hot-cake in Tanzania

It has emerged that some crooked Malawians have discovered a market in Tanzania where copper wire and water meters are sold at very lucrative prices.

The discovery has resulted in massive theft of the two items across northern region.

One of Swahili traders in Mzuzu has said that on condition of anonymity, disclosed that copper wire is bought in Tanzania and gets resold in Europe and other developed countries that have direct access to the East African country.

He also said that Water meters are used in many ways, dealers dismantle it and get some stuff which they use to produce different products to be sold in an illegal market for these things in Tanzania.

However, Since from October 2022, the media has been carrying stories about vandalism of Electricity Supply Cooperation of Malawi (ESCOM) copper wire and waterboard meters across the northern region.

Commenting on the matter some senior authorities at northern region waterboard indicate that on daily average about 30 complaints of meter theft are lodged with the board.

Charles Msiska, a resident of Mchengautuwa, is a victim of the vandalism, having his water meter stolen in November last year and when he reported the problem to the board he He was blamed for carelessness and ordered him to pay re-connection fee.