Malawi army, police default bills owned to water boards: MDAs contributing to utility bodies’ woes
The water providers in the country are owed in excess of K20 billion in unpaid bills by Malawi Defence Force (MDF), Malawi Police Services, government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) thereby denying the five water boards the opportunity for total financial independence, according to Water Boards Management Report seen by Nyasa Times .
The five public utility bodies squeezed to the bone are; Blantyre Water Board (BWB), Lilongwe Water Board (LWB), Northern Region Water Board (NRWB), Central Region Water Board (CRWB) and Southern Region Water Boards (SRWB).
The report shows the army leads the list of defaulters with K12.3 billion Water bills.
Police is has a K4 billion unpaid bill to the utility providers.
State Residences has an outstanding unpaid bill of K3 billion.
According to the report, Malawi Prisons owe the water boards K1.7 in unpaid water bills.
Ministry of Health fail to square a K1.1 million water bill.
Budget and Finance Committee of Parliament chairperson Rhino Chiphiko said institutions need to understand the importance of paying for their bills.
He condemened government for the scenario where utility bodies have been owed billions of kwachas by MDAs, a development that has cramped on their operations.
Chiphiko said “it is not good” for government to be getting “water without paying for it.”
This is absolutely disgraceful. Public bodies, especially government, should be setting an example by paying their bills on time. It is totally unacceptable that this kind of thing happens. How is the country to move forward when public utilities are denied the funds to improve and expand their services by public bodies of all people? The DPP government does not deserve to be re-elected in May when it presides over this type of abuse.
If govt. does not want to pay for water, why not just declare it free then you will not have to be embarrassed with bills
These bastard soldiers should individually be paying for utilities.Why should we pay as a government for their home utilities? Ndalama zao NDE zachani? This should change…Ndimagetsi omwe kumawagulira aaaa .
These are very important armed citizens, in fact they deserve free everything. They are already getting free air to breathe, free water , free electricity, free school/university, free transport, free medicare, free house…………………………… Without them, this country would have been taken over by Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania and America
What an ignorant and stupid comment to make. Why would any country want to take over Malawi with all its problems and few, if any natural resources of value?
There is a total wastage of water in the army institutions. Faulty taps can ran for months without any maintenance; irrigation of gardens is done without any consideration of cost implications….This is all because these soldiers do not pay for any utilities.
So the Water boards cannot cut the their supply to these institutions? Poor and bias Management. That’s why there is no need to put boot lickers in such position but Managers who can manage and get the moneys for Water boards. Ife with MK1500 balance you cut the supply.
This shows very much how boneless this highly paid utility managers are!
There is hardly a standing up to their technical nor to there financial issues! We the taxpayer or stupid donors have to pay it fanally anyway! Manager’s and their boards are rather lining up with this not paying government institutions to share, what they have stolen from us ordenary customers in ever hicking fees, taxes and poorest services, often not even provided!