‘It is doable’analyst says on Chilima’s pledges to phase out utility connection
Blantyre-based political commentator and strategist Humphreys Mvula has plan by Vice-President Saulos Chilima to phase out connection fees on water and electricity if the UTM Party which he leads is voted into power in the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections is welcome because it will benefit both service providers and customers.
Chilima said the connection fees were a burden to Malawians. He said scrapping off the fees would go a long way towards achieving universal access to water and electricity.
In his comments reported by The Nation newspaper, Mvula said by removing the fees, the companies will attract more customers and make more money from the bills while at the same time enabling more people to have access.
Said Mvula: “That is one of the reform measures that should be taken. It is doable. It is not just about buying votes.”
Chilima chaired the Public Sector Reforms Commission that recommended several reforms aimed at improving service delivery in the public sector.
He dislosed about the plans during political rallies he addressed in Mzimba on Friday and Rumphi on Saturday, saying UTM’s wish to promote universal access to water and electricity when he is voted as President.
Chilima said people should only pay for what they consume, adding connection is not a service people should be paying for.
“It does not make sense that people should fail to have electricity in their homes when the electricity lines are just some metres away from their houses. The connection fee that we charge is preventing people from accessing electricity.
“We promise to phase out the connection fee on both electricity and water so that there is universal access to water and electricity,” said Chilima.
The Vice-President also pledged to review the value added tax (VAT) levied on water, observing that taxing water is as good as killing the nation. He said water is life; hence, people should access it at a reasonable cost.
He said the country should devise better ways of generating income than burdening people with taxes and fees that affect their lives.
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At Kaka free advice jst go to report him, zinazi wosamangoletsa cz u hate Chilima this’s brilliant idea this man he has got a vision, indeed these two companies will attract alot of customers, and some of the African countries they doing the same, y not in Malawi?
The biggest problem is corruption. Even if connection is free but the utilities employees demand bribes to connect you.
Deal with corruption too.
UTM is going to remove PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY – this is what is going to eradicate CORRUPTION IN MALAWI once and for all. ifeyo ma UTM supporters we love CHILIMA because he is the only presidential candidate who has the balls to make hard decisions for the welfare of poor malawians
Mbava yowopsya imeneyo. Musankeni muwone.osazalila ayi
Mmene zikuonekera pa ma comments aanthu, zikusonyezeratu kuti anthu a MCP + DPP akumva kupweteka naye SKC. Ngati Chilima amakumvetsani pheiiiini, kakolopeni madzi akokolola Lower Shire aja hehehehehehehehe. UTM!!!!!!!!!!, tsogolo lathuuuuuuuuu!
Chilima is so desperate wafikapa akungolonjeza chilichonse nthawi yamuthera…
@ SONA you are the one who is behaving so desperate to see Chilima lose the election, after all ife ndiongovota chabe basi tili ndiufulu osankha mtsogoleri wina aliyense amene tikufuna, nde mukamati nthawi yamuthera ngati akupikisana ndi anthu ovota bwanji……. tikamuvoterabeeeeeeee at least ali ndi mfundo zomveka bwino komanso zosakayikitsa ngati za enawa.
Water connection is too much in malawi. It’s up to 48000 in lilongwe . We don’t know other areas
Water connection is too much. Last week I paid K48,000 as a connection fee in lilongwe
Excellent idea and simple to implement. It will also change the mindset of Escom dilly dallying and wanting bribes just to connect someone instead of rushing to connect in order to generate more revenue. Their customer service is completely rotten. Scrap the fees!
THIS IS A TOTAL LIE.
The problem of connectivity to ESCOM power is materials. People pay but they do not get connected in time. Some wait up to three years, may be more. Compounded by institutionalized corruption, these problems bring complete misery for would be ESCOM customers.
Check these facts Mr Vice President of DPP Government.
Ndale za mabodza sizipindula!!
Mukanamanena kuti connection fee itsike ndikanamvetsa koma ulele! Pamenepo mwawonjeza a veep. Komanso mwinamudzatsitse connection yamagetsi chifukwa njokulilakodi K46, 000 koma yamadzi K3, 500 ndiyochepa ndikale. Ndingokuchenjezaniso vuto lazinthu zawulele ndiloti zimalowa chisawawa ngati zikuchitikila zafeteleza waulele
Ku Libya zambiri zinali za ulere, madzi anthu samalipira. Za chisawawa zake zichani
ya madzi ndi 40000 mukunenayo ndi reconnection fee
Auze amvetse !
MBAMVA ZIKUSAPOTANA ZOKHAZOKA………PAJA INU A MVULA NDINU MUNGWETSA PANSI COMPANY YA STAGE COACH… MUNTHAWI YA CHEYA..(UDF)………KODI AMALAWI MUKUWATENGA NGATI ZITSILU…..
…WHAT DEVELOPMENT CAN THESE CROOKS BRING…..