Simbi’s new innovation in delivering Lilongwe-Salima water project
Khato Civils, a company awarded a Lilongwe-Salima water project, is geared to execute the much-awaited project to tap water from Salima to Lilongwe with a reduced cost by $102 million (about K73 billion).
Lilongwe Water Board awarded Khato a K400 billion Lilongwe-Salima water project but the company has cut the cost of the project from US$400 million dollars to US$315 million.
Social commentator Stanley Onjezani Kenani said in the absence of competitive bidding, it was difficult to ascertain whether the reduction is a fair price.
However, Khato Civils chairperson Simbi Phiri justifies the reduction of costs due to the new innovation in delivering the project.
His company has brought new equipment that can do the job swiftly.
The Lilongwe-Salima Water Supply Project has always stirred controversy as the project, for years, failed to roll out.
Simbi Phiri at one point blamed some politicians during the administration of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and some government officials, saying they were bent at frustrating the project for their own selfish reasons.
But the new Tonse Alliance administration has resolved the bottlenecks and allowed the project to be start in earnest which has seen the two sides held a virtual meeting where government was represented by Ministry of Finance, Department of Environmental Affairs and the Lilongwe Water Board.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources, Welani Chilenga, told the local media after the meeting that Khato Civils has cut the cost of the project from US$400 million dollars to US$315 million.
“Lilongwe Water Board had already pumped in US17 million and that has also been subtracted, bringing the total cost to US298 million (about K227 billion),” said Chilenga.
“We are also happy that Khato Civils have also shown commitment to continue the project with the new government,” Chilenga said.
The Salima-Lilongwe water project has been a subject of legal battles with the civil society taking the government to court for awarding the firm the contract before an environmental assessment was done, a matter which Khato Civils won.
The project, if done, is expected to provide water to the city of Lilongwe via a 120-kilometre pipeline from Lake Malawi.
Khato Civils is on record to have said that it spent $71.2 million of its money on the required processes prior to starting the project
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Let the government give it to him so that they can hung themselves. This man screwed the south Africans. why take the risk. This thing will soon haunt you.
This government needs to rethink its priorities. We’ve the entire BT City going for days without water. The new government has only achieved arrests and familiarization tours. We know that the arrests are important but we also want to see clear direction.
We need know how this Simbi contract was awarded. We need to know how those ministers that were distributing money at a political meeting in the north got their money.
We can clearly see that when the present admin took over there was no clear plans to improve the Malawi economy. When the 3 month budget was being discussed in June, important matters such as water and energy were supposed to be included. We were supposed to see a powerful short emergency economic recovery plan.
At the end of the day, you cannot attract foreign investors when we have no running waters in cities and towns. We need to start improving some of these. And we do not want any of these corrupt contract. We want development.
Now a few of you may ask why have I done? Go ask that question to the group of people that promised you three meals a day and one million jobs.
The honey-moon is over. We want clean water in our homes. We want electricity 24/7. We want better education for our kids. If we see that corruption is increasing, we will start doing citizens’ arrest to all corrupt individuals and bring them to the court of law for justice.
It means the real cost is lower than USD 315 Million. The other part is corruption
This con artist is going to dupe government the time they wake up money will be gone. Check what he did in Mpumalanga. The guy will sweet talk and eventually steal your money.
He who controls the money doesn’t care who makes the laws.
Kkkkkkk achotselako ka 73billion kwacha? Such a joke. Just st cancel and restart the whole tender n biding thing
Competitive bidding is required. Bring in the Chinese and u will see the price drop. 8n any case, ttwmendous amounts of energy will be required to pump that water and uitvwill cause huge brown outs and black outs to sustain it. U may indeed get water at the expense of electricity!! Shaaaa!
Just advertise this thing again. it’s clear the DPP wanted to use it corruptly and now you are doing the same. Do a fresh one. if Simbi wins it then it’s ok
Surely the US$100 million must have been added by the corrupt dpp government that we ousted on 23rd June 2020. That is not a secret. Dpp was a mafia government as echoed in the Times Newspaper.
Simbi is a certified con artist. Chakwera will hang Malawi because of the loans he took from this crook. Just Google Khato. Limpopo.
Simbi is MCP supporter. That portion he has removed was going to go to MCP, now he has no choice but to remove it. He inflated the price deliberately so that he can given a share to his party.
Barter trade yachitikapo apa , tsogolo muno tadzamva kuti city center yonse ndi plot ya munthu winawake…
I do not support this. But i have no power to stop it.
Due the the corruption in DPP, it can be that the reduced amount was a bribe.
You are talking. This reduction is huge and was wondering why. You have opened my eyes
This is project all Malawians goodwil have to support, very vital. Imagine 7 districts to get good quality and portable water. Hope if that project done, the same contractor has to be given another one. That’s Nkhatabay-Mzuzu water project for the benefit of people Mzuzu city, Mzimba and Rumphi. Karonga water project has to be extended to Chitipa that was done by Kayelekera. Malawi wokomera tonse.
this contractor has left south Africans waterless
I have to agree with what Mr kenani has said. In order for this to be fair please readverstise so that others get a chance to apply and only then can you compare.
Abale, someone bhas already started to excute the project, why re-advertise?
Even if it were to be re-advertisef which is an extra cost, do you really think Government would opt for another contractor?
I think nthawi ya achina Mota Engil, Sawagroup ndi ma foreign contractors ena inatha, mwina ndi omwe mukufuna.
L
By reducing such a huge cost leaves a lot hidden; signs of unrealisticim in the whole process lacking procurement ethics.It clearly indicates that the
original price was a total rip-off by the contractor. Every contract has always an exit clause that can be exercised by both parties.This contract was cancelled for what ever reason is a non issue. It must therefore be readvertised by virtue of the fact that it was cancelled.
There is only corruption and lack of transparency in single source contracts. Simba should not be given preferential treatment because he funded MCP.
He came in under DPP.
it’s still corruption. should be ‘re advertised
invite international tenders. The Chinese will do the same work for 30 percent charged by Simbi.
I for one am happy for a fellow black Malawian to win this project. Why must we be giving our taxes to foreigners? Bravo Simbi!
have you considered that this man had issues with a project in Mpumalanga. It’s not just about awarding to a black man. It should equally be right for the taxpayer
Perhaps the figure came down because the DPP hefty Kickbacks are no longer part of the costing.
Either way, lets proceed to provide adequate water to the capital.
Fools! You have the electricity required to pump 20 million cubic meters of water upstream over 120 kilometers, 24/4, for years? Can someone tell Lazalo and Baby Chilima there are cheap alternatives ways to get water to Lilongwe at a 10th of the the cost. Ever heard of diampwe dam. Anthu anyau inu
Galu iwe mlomwe wa gondolosi nyau yakuyamba chani ??ukhalira kufera pamwamba pa azimayi ndi ndalama zakatangale
Stupid of the year! Do Chakwera and Chilima need water? You hate a Chewa badly but I thank you,let your tribe be the best in the World and enjoy the creation! Remember, ili ndi Dziko, we will meet pena pake. The Khato wanted to be paid back their money after you and your Government sorry to say your Government but let’s just put it like that, this means Malawians would loose their tax to the foolishness of your Government. Here comes the new Government, we are not to pay them back the free money they wanted back, and again they have also reduced the cost, is it not the good sign of good Government? When righteous rules, people rejoice!
Bwanji ambuyako a nkonono aja sunawauze za Diamphwe dam? You couldn’t wake him from his deep slumber?
Simbi has International Reputation of projects of such magnitudes. Let him do the works. All we need is constant water supply. We should not politisise everythting
you mean a bad reputation
Akutitu there will be different pump stations along the way. Simbi showed us the drawings. Simungazitsate inuyo. Kkkk
The drawings are a project scope which every bidder who took part should have it in his possession.It can’t part of performance indicators.
Inunso mudzikamba za dam pano? Do you know the rate of growth of Lilongwe? Paja a DPP ndini aja mumanena kuti MCP under Kamuzu palibe chimene inachita koma chonsecho mukugona m’nyumba zomwe anamanga iyeyo, kumayenda mmseu yake, kumaunikira magetsi ake, kumakasewera muma stadium ake etc etc! Demented Perverted Personalities! You go drink water from Diampwe, we will be getting ours from Lake Malawi.
Awesome, but i think Simbi would like to buy public trust with an eye of more business deals in the Tonse Alliance Government.
Wow we knew already this scum won’t fail out but anyway it’s a good project go ahead
I am still at pains to understand if indeed the negotiated cost is the actual cost to undertake the project. Let tax payers be reminded that the initial cost was $500 million. Then he reduced it to $400 million. Really! Cutting down the budget by 20%? This time we are hearing about this $298 million. Really? Effectively, from the initial $500m to $298m. I am reminded of the Mulanje Blantyre Water Project which navigated all that rough terrain from Mulanje at $23m. I am saying $23m not $298 over a distance of about 100km.
I wish you sobered and appreciated the Salima – Lilongwe terrain which is totally different from the generally flat Mulanje – Blantyre terrain.
The Lilongwe project water is to be pumped up the Dowa mountains which will require pumps at strategic levels and stations along the way, while in Blantyre water is generally flowing down by gravity from Mulanje Mountain.
Then you expect costs to be within common ranges? No