Tag Archives: Fitina Khonje

Malawi

Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority, Escom in blame game over electricity tariff hike

Maneno Chimulala
Escom officials in a meeting with Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Climate Change

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—In a clear display of arrogance, Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) went ahead with their greedy decision to hike electricity tariffs despite Malawi Energy Regulation Authority (Mera) advising them to put the adjustment on hold.

This has been revealed during an interface with the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Climate Change today Tuesday 27th April, 2021.

According to Welani Chilenga, the committee’s chairperson,  Escom officials told him earlier that the increase was made to bail out the institution from its financial quagmire, and based on the minister of energy’s statement in parliament.

Escom officials have meanwhile failed to produce the statement that the minister allegedly made, which the Committee demanded.

The revelation has left some members of the Parliamentary Committee surprised.

One of the members, Kamlepo Kalua, has described the move and explanations by Escome as “useless” to discuss.

The Committee says it is perplexed on why Malawians should be bailing out people or institutions that are messing up things in their institutions.

Ironically, Mera Consumers Affairs and Public Relations Officer Fitina Khonje told journalists that the decision to hike electricity tariff was made during the electricity tariff review meeting held in February this year.

Khonje also said apart the depreciation of the Malawi Kwacha against major foreign currencies; Mera approved the adjustment to allow ESCOM to carry out its functions effectively.

“The adjustment of the electricity tariff comes about because of two main issues. The first one is that out review of the electricity tariff using the automatic tariff adjustment formula necessitated that the tariff be adjusted upwards by 5.72 percent.

“The formula is applied every month and the aim is to reinstate or restore the value of the tariff that was already agreed on. The second factor is on the based tariff that was agreed to run from 2018 to 2022 and we started implementing in 2018. In 2020, the review showed there should have been an adjustment of tariff based on the based tariff trench,” she explained.

It is yet to be known where Khonje got the powers to comment on the matter in total agreement with Escom while Mera says it did not approve the adjustment.

Business, Environment

MERA ropes in business community to embrace gas

Maravi Post Reporter
Gas usage on move

By Chikondi Manjawira


BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) has underlined the need for business community to consider investing into Liquefied Petroleum Gas at retail as one way of increasing accessibility of the commodity across the country.

MERA made the call during Fuel and Gas Regulation date the Authority had with News Editors from different Media Institutions in Malawi on Friday in Zomba.

Consumer Affairs and Public Relations Manager for MERA, Fitina Khonje said it is high time Malawians invested in Gas selling at retail for easy accessibility to end-users in their respective locations.

Khonje emphasized that there is business opportunity in Gas following the eased regulations on the same. She added that, it is MERA’s ambition to triple use of Gas in the next 3 years.

“We have eased the licensing requirements. For example, the annual retailing fee which was at MK500, 000.00 is now at MK20, 000.00 only. The minimum plot size requirements for retailing have been reduced to 5 by 5meters. With these opportunities, we believe there will be increased access to gas retail outlets or selling points. We want more outlets within the locations as is the case in other countries.

“We have noted that there is increasing consumer interest in information on Gas. This is an indicator that demand for gas will be picking up. This is the direction the country should be moving into. Gas is a smart choice; it is reliable, convenient, easy to use and very efficient. Let us all contribute towards reduced deforestation and reduce pressure on the electricity grid”, explained Khonje.

Malawi Editors Forum, Secretary General, Gracian Tukula applauded MERA for the arrangement describing it as a knowledge gap filler on energy regulation issues.

“The meeting was very significant because it helped to narrow the knowledge gap among the editors on energy regulation issues. As gatekeepers in our newsrooms, editors make decisions on what to feature and how it should feature. Such decisions need to be made based on thorough knowledge of the subject at hand. In dynamic world like ours, a workshop like this one is very helpful because it aids editors keep pace with emerging issues in the energy sector, said Tukula.”

MERA has already sent out investment information packs to potential investors and there is increasing interest. Currently Malawi has only three Gas Importers namely; Afrox, Delta Gas and Industrial Oxygen and about 40 retail points contributing to consumers covering a long distance just to refill their cylinders.

Business, Malawi

Malawi gas up by 5.79%, fuel prices maintained

Maravi Post Reporter
Fitina Khonje Mera’s Consumer affairs and public relations manager

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) on Thursday announced hiking price of liquefied petroleum gas by 5.79 % effective, Friday, April 16, 2021.

This means the gas price will be pegged at MK2,065.00 per kilogram from MK1,952.00 per kilogram last month.

MERA disclosed this as it reviewed the petroleum products prices for April.

The prices for other products such as Petrol, Diesel, Paraffin and Jet fuel have however been maintained.

MERA’s Consumer Affairs and Public Relations Manager Fitina Khonje attributed the hiking of gas price to depreciation of Malawi kwacha to South African Rand, as well as the rising landing cost of of the gas.

The upward adjustment comes at a time people are encouraged to use gas for cooking.

The development also comes just a month after the regulator announced a rise in electricity tariffs.

Khonje has added that an a 7% increase in Petrol’s 7% landing cost qualified for a possible price hike, but the authority decided to cushion it using the price stabilization fund.

This means Petrol price remains at MK899.20, Diesel K898.00 and Paraffin at MK719.60.

Jet fuel remains at MK721.25 and K667.82 for Kamuzu International Airport and Chileka international airport respectively.

The development comes as the general public are demanding President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse government to remove punitive taxes on basic needs commodities including cooking oil, soap, water, electricity, credit data and among others

Business

“Gas is cost effective, safe for home use”-MERA

Maravi Post Reporter

By Chikondi Manjawira


BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) has emphasized on the need for the general public to change the perception they have on use of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) by starting using it as a source of energy for cooking.


Consumer Affairs and Public Relations Manager for Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority-(MERA), Fitina Khonje made the call during a one day-long media training on Fuel and Gas organized by the authority in Zomba on Saturday, April 10, 2021.

Khonje assured Malawians of the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, reliability and safety of gas if used for cooking.

She further stressed that the use of LP Gas as an alternative for electricity and Charcoal will help protect the environment as it reduces deforestation for charcoal burning as well as reserve electricity for other economic activities.

“We need to change people’s perception towards use of gas as a source of energy for cooking to conserve environment by creating demand for gas. Many believe that gas is scarce, expensive and dangerous to keep in their homes compared to electricity, paraffin and charcoal.

“The truth is that all sources of energy are as safe and as dangerous. The suppliers (gas sellers) do teach first users on how to use gas properly, guess very few reported gas accidents ever since gas became commonly used for cooking many years ago,” says Khonje.

President for Blantyre Press Club, Blessings Kanache acknowledged the role of the media will in spreading facts against misconception on gas usage.

Kanache believes that the media training has ignited effective reporting with an informed angle on gas, fuel and electricity pricing and regulation.

However, a random interviews with some Blantyre urban residents revealed that many fear to use gas as a source of energy when it comes to cooking.

Most of those talked to preferred electricity and charcoal that a few acknowledged the use of gas, describing it as dangerous and expensive commodity.

This alone exposed the knowledge gap existing in usage of gas.

For instance, a Bangwe resident in Blantyre, Jessica Namalopa confessed never thought of using gas for cooking.

She further narrated that gas is scaring and unsafe to keep in the home.

“I am aware that some people use Gas for cooking in Malawi, but I have never thought of using Gas because I fear that Gas may cause accident in my home, that is why I prefer cooking using charcoal or electricity,” said Namalopa.”

Business, Lifestyle, Malawi, Top News

Malawi President Chakwera’s Tonse admin hikes fuel prices twice in less than three months: Is this Canaan or Gomorrah??

Ufulu 2 Comments
Mzuzu

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Malawians must forget about the promised land under President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse administration with the current economic turmoil the nation is going through in nine months in power.

In just nine months in power Chakwera’s Tonse has hiked fuel prices despite noisy he was making during the campaign that his leadership will reduce the pump prices once are in power. Why now?

On Monday, March 8, 2021 prices of fuel in Malawi gone up again, less than three months after another hike in December last year.

According to Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) Petrol has increased from MK834.60 to MK899.20 representing 7.74%, Diesel from MK826.40 to K898.00 representing 8.66 % and Paraffin from MK613.20 to MK719.60 representing 17.5%.

The price of Gas has also been increased from MK1, 880 per Kilogramme to MK1,880 to MK1,952 representing 3.83%.

MERA spokesperson, Fitina Khonje, said the new prices are due to a rise in prices on the international market and the depreciation of the Malawi Kwacha.

The last fuel hike in December last year led to protests by minibus drivers who argued that the fuel price hike coupled with the limit on number of passengers was affecting their business.

Malawians are slowly loosing trust and hope in Chakwera’s Tonse government.

lazarus chakwera – wikipedia,