Employees at the Blantyre Water Board (BWB) have broken their silence on the ongoing leadership wrangle between Chief Executive Officer Yeremia Chihana and the institution’s board of directors, warning that the escalating conflict is crippling operations, demoralizing staff and threatening the utility’s ability to deliver water services to the public.
Yeremiah Chihana
In a strongly worded letter addressed to the Comptroller of Statutory Corporations and dated May 29, 2026, the BWB Employees Trade Union called for urgent intervention to end the prolonged standoff, arguing that relations between Chihana and the board have deteriorated beyond repair.
According to the union, the conflict at the top of the organization has created uncertainty, confusion and instability throughout the institution, with employees increasingly bearing the consequences of the governance crisis.
“Our firm position is that the Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Directors can no longer work together in a manner that benefits Blantyre Water Board as an institution, its employees and the people it serves,” reads part of the letter signed by the union’s General Secretary Davie Maluwa and President Victor Munishi.
The union warned that if authorities fail to resolve the matter, workers will reconvene within 14 days to determine further action.
Staff Morale and Productivity Affected
The workers said the ongoing leadership battle has filtered down through the organization, creating a toxic working environment and disrupting day-to-day operations.
According to the union, employees are experiencing growing workplace distress, declining morale and reduced productivity as a result of the uncertainty surrounding the institution’s leadership.
“The ongoing warfare at the top has trickled down, completely destabilising the operations of the board. Members of staff are facing severe workplace distress, a drop in morale and declining productivity,” the union said.
The employees further warned that unless immediate corrective action is taken, the continued infighting could severely undermine BWB’s mandate of supplying clean and safe water to residents within its service area.
Concerns Over Financial Implications
Adding to the concerns, the union alleged that the governance crisis has also imposed an unnecessary financial burden on the institution.
According to the workers, BWB was in April this year paying salaries and benefits to three chief executive officers and eight directors simultaneously, a situation they described as unsustainable and wasteful.
The union argued that resources being consumed by the leadership dispute could have been directed towards improving service delivery, maintaining infrastructure and addressing operational challenges facing the water utility.
“If this governance failure is allowed to continue, Blantyre Water Board will be completely paralysed in no time, thereby failing to achieve its mission of providing clean, potable water to the public,” the letter further states.
Controller Yet to Respond
Efforts to obtain a response from Controller of Statutory Corporations Stuart Ligomeka proved unsuccessful, as he reportedly did not respond to phone calls or WhatsApp messages seeking comment on the matter.
The Office of the Comptroller of Statutory Corporations plays a key oversight role over state-owned enterprises and is expected to intervene in governance disputes affecting public institutions.
Court Battles Deepen Leadership Crisis
The latest developments are the latest chapter in a protracted legal and administrative battle involving Chihana and the BWB board.
In April this year, the board suspended Chihana, barely weeks after his appointment as Chief Executive Officer, pending disciplinary proceedings over allegations of abuse of office.
The suspension triggered a series of court actions.
On May 19, 2026, the High Court discharged an earlier injunction that had temporarily reinstated Chihana while he challenged the suspension.
In his ruling, Justice Allan Muhome advised Chihana to seek redress through the Industrial Relations Court, the forum specifically mandated to handle labour-related disputes.
However, the matter did not end there.
Days after the High Court ruling, Chihana obtained a fresh court order that effectively returned him to office. He has since filed an appeal in the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal challenging the High Court decision that removed judicial protection against his suspension.
Future of Water Utility at Stake
As legal battles continue and tensions between management and the board remain unresolved, workers fear that the institution’s core mandate is being overshadowed by leadership disputes.
With Blantyre Water Board serving hundreds of thousands of customers in Malawi’s commercial capital and surrounding areas, employees say swift intervention is needed to restore stability, protect staff welfare and ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
The union’s ultimatum now places additional pressure on authorities to find a lasting solution before the situation deteriorates further and affects the board’s ability to provide one of the country’s most essential public services.
