A 39-year-old innovator, Colrerd Nkosi has demanded his intellectual property rights for Kasangazi Hydro-power Station in Mzimba, saying some stakeholders were conducting meetings concerning the mini-grid project behind his back.
Speaking during in an interview on Thursday, Nkosi said it is saddening to see that he is not being regarded as a crucial stakeholder in his own project which the Ministry of Energy wants to upgrade.
“I was not invited for today’s meeting. Once I heard about it, I used my own transport to be present at the venue. This is the second time and it is worrisome since it frustrates progress,” said Mkosi.
Nkosi said government officials and politicians are taking advantage of his poor background to exploit opportunities meant for him.
“I and other innovators have been shortlisted at least twice to attend international conferences in Democratic Republic of Congo and Common Wealth summit in London this year and in 2018, however, we lost our slots at both events and we were represented by someone who we don’t know,” he said.
Nkosi said despite being sidelined, he is open to negotiate with those who seek progress in the quest of electrifying rural communities in the country since the country has only connected 5 per cent of the rural communities to the national power grid.
Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) Hydro-power Specialist, John Taulo said in partnership with the Ministry of Energy, Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA), among others, will ensure that Nkosi gets his intellectual property rights for the mini-grid and are ready to negotiate his needs.
Taulo said they will help facilitate the processes so that Nkosi obtain his patents and IPR as soon as possible and will embrace his management style with only few adjustments to allow sustainability and profitability of the plant.
Reported by Austine Patrice Kachilika
