Contractor on Mulanje water project ‘under pressure’ to fast track project

Government is said to be pushing the contractor working on the K17 billion Mulanje water project, which seeks to provide water to Bantyre, to fast track the project so that President Peter Mutharika opens it before the May 21 elections.

Project officials from SMS Infrastructure and Plem Construction said Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Joseph Mwanamvekha visited the project site on Friday where he told the officials to fast track it.

“We have been told that the project should be finished before May 15 so that the President should officially open it,” said a senior official of the company.

He said the project was supposed to be finished by June end or early July.

Mwanamvekha said there was need to fast track the project because of water problems Blantyre residents face.

Blantyre needs at least 12 000 cubic litres of water per day and the Mulanje project will give the commercial city 20000 cubic litres of water per day.