Blantyre Water Board given 7-day ultimatum to restore water

April 7, 2015 Yankho Msukwa -Nyasa Times 40 Comments

Tired of poor services, empty promises and persistent water woes, Bangwe residents in Malawi’s commercial capital Blantyre, have given Blantyre Water Board (BWB) a seven-day ultimatum to restore continuous supply of clean water or face mass demonstrations.

Kapito: Join the protest
Kapito: Join the protest

Early this year, BWB assured its customers that the problem would come to an end following the rehabilitation of its Nkula pumping facility and the construction of the new reservoirs at Soche and Chigumula in January, but nothing has changed, the sitaution is getting worse.

The Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) has since asked other communities in the central business district to join Bangwe residents in demanding their rights, warning that failure to do so would result in BWB taking the residents for granted.

Other affected areas include Nkolokosa, Chilobwe, Zingwangwa, Soche East, Manja, Nancholi, Manase, Ndirande, Chilomoni and Chimwankhunda.

The residents are also bitter because BWB still squeeze them with water bills despite having no water for months now.

At the moment, people in the commercial city are fetching water from swamps and other protected water sources.

“Am failing to understand why Malawi is struggling with problem.  They promised that it (problem) would be a thing of past, but the situation is getting worse.

“Do these people really know when they say water is life? They are taking us for granted; it high we took them to task for failing to provide us with water,” said Stort Chirwa, a resident of Zingwangwa .

One of the Chigumula residents, Yotamu Ndovi said if the Board fails to supply the area with, it should remove its meters in the area.

“BWB’s slogan is ‘Water is Life’. We, therefore, wonder we are being denied this life,” said Ndovi.

Cama Executive Director John Kapito, who early this year called for mass demonstrations against BWB over water woes, has welcomed Bangwe’s residents move, calling others communities to join them if they are to start getting continuous water supply in their areas.

Kapito observed that is it high time consumers started demanding their rights and taking to task all duty bearers who are not performing to people’s expectations.

BWB spokesperson, Priscilla Mateyu was not readily available for comment.

But Bangwe and Chigumula residents are this week expected to petition the Board over the problem.

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40 replies on “Blantyre Water Board given 7-day ultimatum to restore water”

  2. Ndizakwiya kwambiri ndikazamva mabwana akumeneko you have renewed their contracts. You are letting down this country. OPC and Deprtment of Statutory Cooperations do your job properly when it comes to renew of contracts. Ukumva iwe Chikhosi paja nawenso ntchito kusolora za ma parastatals agalu amaenewa atitopetsa

  3. Why cant BWB manage the distribution of what there is, better? Why do the ‘richer’ areas appear to have most of the supply? It is the poorer people that bear the brunt of this problem. If water was withheld from the affluent suburbs I think the problems might be fixed quicker. However accepting that there are problems all I ask is an equal share for all consumers. Lets have some ‘Flow sheding’ across all sectors. If I have received 10 units since August last year I would be surprised.

  4. Isn’t it time that APM became involved in this disgraceful situation? Why does APM just sit on his hands instead of sorting out this critical problem that faces so many of his people? Matters such as this should be a priority for a government that promised to move Malawi forward. The President should be thoroughly ashamed that such a problem as water shortage even exists. Everyone in the country should be demonstrating against the government which is doing nothing to provide such a basic need as water. The BWB is clearly not fit for purpose and should be in the control of central government.

  5. Thanks to Bangwe residences for your ultimetum to BWB because here in Chilobwe my wife managed to get water at 12 mid night. To us getting water at night was better than not getting no water at all. Palibe vuto ngakhale munating’ambira bulangete, nditamuimbira nyimbo ya nalero nalero nalero. Bravo Bangwe. Bravo JK. Bravo BWB.Nanga nditani. Kumvetsana mkufunika.

  6. Water board please get alternative solution that you can use in absence of Escom power. such a big organisation failing to supply water using generators. Is ESCOM a scapegoat or what?

  9. It’s really something requiring collective actions. People working in CHAM hospitals did the same, it worked. Parliament,judicial etc. Do you remember chanco during the late prof BWM.I don’t remember who was the minister of education then. Certain leaders keep blind eyes on certain things waiting for actions like the one in subject.Who doesn’t know from present to a prisoner that blantyre in certain areas people are denied of life. By the way , what is the meaning of water is life? There are several government departments, ministries that are equally doing the same except that there no people to give them 7 days ultimatum for a strike e.g. Ministry of forestry and….. If at all it exists.

  11. Why BWB so dull? Plz Malawi let’s employ creative people. Lack of funds can’t be a valid reason. BWB generates a lot of income. Ngati nzeru zikupelewera vomerani ena akuthandizeni.

  12. Kapito asakhale nafe munthu ngwadyera uyu ndiwakuti abale bambo oipa uyu amazasintha akalandirapo zake

  13. What a shame. Blantyre is by all standards an Urban Village. Sorry if I have offended you folks that proudly live in that Urban Village. Do demos so that the status.

  14. If Malawi cant solve this simple problem of water shortages and electricity black outs, then forget leaving the last position of being the poorest.

  15. The people at BWB all the know are commissions and sex in offices. I hope they read this, after the seven days, they will be revealed!! Agalu amenewa

  16. MUSAWAPATSE MADZI AMENEWO NDI AJA ANABERA MAVOTI

    AYEMBEKEZERE 2019 KUZAMWA MADZI A MMIPOPI PANOPA AZIMWA NDI KUSAMBA MZITHAPHWIMO NDI MADZI OSEFUKIRA A MVULA BASI

    MUNYA WOKUBA INU

  17. Mkullu Wa Phankeyi Amatero Nthawi Ikayandikira Amasintha Amakhala Kuti Amusanjitsa Iyeyi Kuteroku Imakhala Bizinesi Yake Muona Zikadzamuthera Adzalowanso Ndi Ina Ndiye Ku Malawi Kumeneku CORRUPTION TOO MUCH

  19. Kapito is a roaring stone who always changes colour like chameleon if beefed with chithumba,fellow malawians lets joins our friends in fighting for their health life

  20. Hahahahahaha Blantyre Water Board yandikwana bwanji. Kunali manager winawake ku Limbe ife tikamvutika madzi ukamuuza atleast timaonako dontho lamadzi kaya anamusiya kuti. Mbuzi zili panozi ukazidandaulira mwano thooooooo. Guys before tisanakafike ndi demonstration yathu ku headoffice tidile kaye ndi ma officers awo aku Limbe akumachita mwano tikamadandaula. Atimva amenewa

  23. Demostration yachepa just ask a head of a spokesperson who oftenly lied and other senior people kuti atengerepo phunziro lakusakwilisa pa malonjezano

  25. Mwati Kapito wajoina?
    Akutayani last minute akalandira chi banzi.
    DO NOT TRUST JOHN KAPITO.

    TNM YAKWEZA MITENGO YAWO, KAPITOAKUONEKA???

  26. All of you; wait a minute!
    BWB MD and all dogs sitting next to him are well connected to the HE of the land.

    You can shout until the heavens fall down NOTHING will change.
    These people are connected, not you the connectionless….you could have been fired by now.

    Don’t you think this is the eighth wonder of the world that these people are still working and enjoying all the benefit?

    Cry on nyasa’s cry on…

  27. BWB, can you plz employ brilliiant engineers there, may be they might hv clues. All Polytechnic engineers employed by BWB are dull, immature, childish and non creative. they are holding papers for nothing. How can we hv water problems in Malawi when we have many sources of water all over. You claim to have solved very complecated science questions but failing to solve very straight forward water problems. Anyway, no wonder the pass rate @ poly is 40% hence useless engineers.

  29. Please waterboard this is too much. this is now time not only to petition the board but to smear their offices with bibi. This happened in south africa and water board of south Africa started supplying water to the public according to their expectations. So Bangwe keep enough shits for smearing the walls of water board after seven days.

  30. Stupid Kapito must understand this: the operational problems facing our utility statutory bodies are bigger than your little mind can comprehend.

    There’s need for massive capital injection to enable them overhaul their archaic systems.

    This will require strong political commitment to materialise and usual takes a while.

    So, to hell with your silly ultimatums.

    1. @ CHINTHUMWANANGA
      PLEASE, CAN YOU PARK YOUR BALLS IN YOUR WIFE ‘S ASS OTHER THAN DEFENDING BLANTYRE WATER BOARD. KODI BWANJI KU LILONGWE MADZI SABVUTA NGATI KU BLANTYRE KUNO ?
      NGATI IWE KWANU SIKUBVUTA MADZI THEN YOU ARE DAMN LUCKY
      .LET US HOPE KUTI ALL YOUR UNDER WEARS ARE CLEAN , NGATINSO SIMUNADZADZE MANYI CHIFUKWA CHOTSOWA MADZI CHIFUKWA INE MA UNDERWEARS ANGA NDIMATAYA

  32. The issue here is not for Kapito but it is about people who are being denied their rights to clean water, BWB has failed,people are suffering, when malawi will enjoy please? These boards collect money from us but we are not given what we are pay for, is that right?people are getting up around 11 to 12 oclock searching for water. Ladies are being raped even beaten during this time. Is that fair? Lack enough our muslim brothers provide us with water,for example here at Bangwe nthandizi we are getting water from Hajrah Masjid where you need to get a round 1 or 2 so that u get water in time otherwise you spend the whole day a line without getting any drop of water. Whether Kapito wants to be given money or not, but we are suffering a lot. And I don’t know why some of you go against your fellow malawians who are demanding their rights? If you are enjoying the life please its better to remain silent rather talking like children here. Why do you behave like parrots you clap hands for everything?. We are fed up with people like you.

  35. Agreencardless ithink you don’t know this Kapito,He is aman who always knows what to do.He speak and act, ask Bingu and the fellows of Mukhitho. Go kapito go.

  36. Ntchito koma kuchitana mma office. Mzimayi waku Lab ndi winaso waku revenue , INSTEAD OF WORKING TO IMPROVE WATER SUPPLY IWO ALI BUSY SEX. Tufuna madzi a mpayipi osati akumaliseche.

  37. Staff ya Water Board chomwe amadziwa ndi chigololo cha M’galimoto koma kuti atipatse madzi ayi. Timatcha ndithu

  38. munakavotels MCP simukanamanong’oneza bondo chonchi ayi anthu osamba ouma mitu

  39. Awanso asatibowe, akubgofuna a boma awa dishe! Shut up Kapito you are good at talking not doing

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