Fifth day in the dark, Phalombe residents struggle as power outage bites

For five consecutive days, families, traders and essential services in Phalombe District remain without electricity, a prolonged blackout that residents say is steadily draining livelihoods, disrupting daily life and putting pressure on critical public institutions.

In separate interviews, residents and business operators stated that the extended blackout has disrupted their livelihoods and daily routines, particularly for those whose survival depends on electricity access.

At Phalombe Boma, barber Peter Moyenda said the power outage has drastically reduced his earnings, as his business relies entirely on electric-powered machines.

“Electricity is the backbone of my business. Without power, I cannot work, and this has made it difficult for me to sustain myself,” he said.

The situation is similar at Chiringa Trading Centre, where one trader reported losses after perishable goods spoiled due to the lack of refrigeration.

“I sell relish and other items that must be kept in a fridge. Sadly, some of the products have gone bad because there has been no electricity,” said the trader.

The continued outage has also disrupted operations at public institutions, particularly health facilities that depend on electricity for effective service delivery.

Some residents have raised concern over the safety of patients who rely on electrically powered medical equipment, especially during the festive season when demand for health services is often high.

This publication has seen a WhatsApp message believed to be from an ESCOM official, indicating that the outage is linked to problems on the line supplying Phalombe District.

The message suggests that electricity has only reached Phalombe Boma so far, with additional teams requested to inspect the line for full restoration.

As of publication, ESCOM had not released an official explanation or timeline for the full restoration of power, as residents continue to appeal for urgent intervention, warning that the ongoing outage is steadily worsening its impact on livelihoods, household welfare and essential services.

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