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An innocent eight-year-old boy is struggling for his life at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre (QECH) after being burnt by loose overhead power lines in Machinjiri in Blantyre on Wednesday morning.
Clement Kaputeni, a standard one pupil at Makalanga Primary School, had just come from school and left to play with friends when he met his fate, according to Mercy Kamowa, his aunt and guardian at the Burns Unit ward.
Kamowa said residents at Njilika, which is between Mapanga and Machinjiri noticed the loose power lines as early as 8 am on Wednesday and reported the matter to Escom before giving another reminder at 10 am.
“When Clement came from school he went out to play with friends and I heard a loud blast and people called me to say that it was Clement and that is when we managed to take him to the hospital,” said a visibly shocked Chimowa.
She said she had no transport to take little Clement to the hospital and got the money from well-wishers.
Kamowa said Escom did not visit the boy at the hospital and offered no assistance, at least as of lunch hour Thursday when Nation Online crew visited Clement at the Hospital.
Other eyewitnesses said Escom officials only arrived at the accident scene at around 3 PM to sort out the loose power lines.
Escom spokesman Chikondi Chimala said Thursday he has not got the exact details on what happened but said Escom was offering assistance towards Clement’s hospitalisation.
“We are offering assistance of anything that is required at the hospital, including any recommendations from the doctor. Whether they say he has to receive treatment outside the country, Escom will foot those bills. We will provide anything which will be needed,” said Chimala.
Quizzed at what time they started assisting little Clement, Chimala said they have been dealing with Clement’s father and added that there could have been communication on breakdown Escom’s assistance between the father and the aunt who is looking after Clement at the hospital.
Asked why it took some hours for Escom to rectify the problem after being reported at 8 AM, Chimala said he was not aware that the matter was reported at 8 AM.
“But what I can say is that we rectified the problem the same day,” said Chimala.
In January 2000, Wilson Mayanika and his 18-year-old daughter Tisaiwale were killed after being electrocuted by a broken 11 kv overhead electricity cable, a few metres from their house at Mondoni in Zingwangwa Township in Blantyre.
Meanwhile, a Blantyre man is demanding K1.2 million from Escom after his Namiwawa House was burnt to ashes due to an electrical fault.
James Chiutsi, a financial accountant for Malawi Telecommunications Limited (MTL), had his house burnt on August 26 and Escom is yet to establish the cause of the fire, which Chiutsi says started from the ceiling due to an electrical fault.
“They gave me a minimum of 30 days to investigate the matter and they never gave the maximum time and up to now there is nothing and I have given them seven days from Tuesday to state their position as regards liability,” said Chiutsi.
He said he is staying at a lodge in Blantyre together with his family and MTL is footing all the bills.
Chimala said the issue is still under investigations.
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