The Consumers Association of Malawi claims a plan to rent diesel generators is a scheme to enrich officials, not solve power outages.
The Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA) has accused the government of planning to rent diesel generators as a way to generate money for corrupt officials. CAMA Executive Director John Kapito stated on September 3, 2026, that the scheme, involving EGENCO and Power Market Limited, is not a solution to the country's electricity crisis but a "money generation for a few greedy people in Government." He noted that the public will bear the costs of expensive generators, scarce diesel, and foreign exchange for fuel imports.
Kapito questioned the government's decision to proceed with rented generators, citing Malawi's existing fuel shortages and a chronic lack of foreign exchange. He reminded authorities that similar systems have previously failed to alleviate blackouts and instead led to significant corruption scandals. CAMA pointed to past issues with ESCOM and Aggreko, including unaccounted metered output and allegations of inflated costs for fuel and operational hours, which remain unresolved.
CAMA warned that the public will ultimately pay for the expensive generators, scarce diesel, and foreign exchange costs associated with fuel imports, all while the country continues to experience blackouts. The consumer body views the plan as a "corrupt genset diesel gravy train" rather than a genuine effort to address the nation's power challenges.
Why it mattersMalawians are affected by potentially higher costs for electricity and continued blackouts due to a government plan that CAMA alleges is designed for corrupt enrichment.
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