Simbi Phiri invests K1 billion in decent homes for ‘neighbours’ in Mchinji

Malawian billionaire business tycoon, Simbi Phiri has undertaken another ‘humanitarian’ construction project in Mchinji to provide decent houses and accommodation for the people of Lumbe Village for free after constructing and furnishing a primary school, including building teachers’ houses in his home village of Chembe in Traditional Authority Mazengera in Lilongwe.

Lumbe Village in Traditional Authority Mlonyeni in Mchinji borders Simbi Farm.

The village is a typical Malawian village characterized by deep-rooted poverty where villagers live in grass thatched huts and consume water from unprotected sources, including wells, streams and rivers. Electricity has also been a far-fetched dream.

However, the story is completely different today.
In a typical spirit of good neighbourliness, Simbi Phiri has coughed 20 million South African Rands (about 1 billion Malawi Kwacha) to face-lift Lumbe Village and comprehensively transform villagers’ livelihood.

The village is a typical Malawian village characterized by deep-rooted poverty where villagers live in grass thatched huts and consume water from unprotected sources, including wells, streams and rivers. Electricity has also been a far-fetched dream.

However, the story is completely different today.

In a typical spirit of good neighbourliness, Simbi Phiri has coughed 20 million South African Rands (about 1 billion Malawi Kwacha) to face-lift Lumbe Village and comprehensively transform villagers’ livelihood.

A tour of the village by Nyasa Times recently, revealed an on-going massive construction project in Lumbe Village, where grass thatched huts and houses, built with raw wood and mud, are being demolished and replaced with modern dwelling houses.

Simbi Phiri has constructed over 50 houses built with modern materials including cement blocks, tiles, steel windows and door frames and iron roofing sheets

Out of over 50 houses, 25 are stand-alone houses. While about 10 blocks are containing three houses each.

According to Village Headman Lumbe, there are about 55 families in his village and that therefore each family will have their own modern dwelling house.

He said all houses are self-contained, with a shower room and toilet, and a kitchen.

“I am lost for words. This is unprecedented and unbelievable; I am extremely excited,” VH Lumbe told Nyasa Times in an interview, further explaining that the families have an average of seven (7) children each.

“Some houses are three bed-roomed while others have two rooms but all the houses have toilets and a shower room inside. We have our own Area 18 neighbourhood right here Mchinji,” joked the seemingly excited village headman.

He added: “The houses are spacious enough to cater for our big families. We are all extremely grateful to Mr. Simbi Phiri and his entire family for the once-in-a-lifetime tranformation of my village.”

The Village head therefore told Nyasa Times that Simbi Phiri acquired land in Lumbe village when he was still in his youthful days.

“When he came asking for a piece of land here some decades ago, i never thought he had such big plans for this area. Look at his farm, nobody would believe that it is in Lumbe village, this is where he stays when he is in Malawi. In the farm, there is a three storey mansion, and other dozens of houses for his children and siblings.

“Every time he is at his farm he normally walks to my house and one day he told me that he does not like to see his farm surrounded by muddy huts and grass thatched houses. Months after we had this discusion, i saw government officials coming to conduct a survey for my village. It is when i realised that my friend Simbi has lived to his word. Construction is moving at a fast pace and we will be moving into the new houses in less than two months time,” explained Lumbe.

Meanwhile, the project will also see the installation of solar electricity to cater for each house and piped water has already been provided.

Taonga Botolo, Media and Public Relations Manager for Khato Holdings and Spokesperson for Simbi Phiri, confirmed the initiative his boss has undertaken to help improve the people’s livelihood especially considering that these families are his ‘neighbours’.

“Mr. Phiri grew up in the village, he understands what people in the village go through. As such he was not happy at all to see his neighbours at his farm in Mchinji, living in abject poverty while he and his family lived in comfort next door, it really touched him. He therefore decided to assist each and every family in Lumbe village with a decent house. Consider this as his humble contribution to his neighbours,” said Botolo in a brief email response, adding that Simbi Phiri thoroughly consulted with Malawi government, through the Social Welfare Department and the District Commissioner’s office, among others, before embarking on the massive project.

Simbi Phiri owns one of Africa’s leading construction and engineering companies, Khato Civils (Pty) Limited, which is headquartered in Samrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Khato is currently implementing a multibillion Kwacha Lake Malawi Water Supply Project, which on completion, will greatly improve water supply in, Salima, Dowa and Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital.

The new houses will be ready for occupation and officially commissioned in two months time.

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