Water woe: Minister vows Mulanje return as taps stay dry

Residents of Mulanje, a district that sits beneath one of Malawi’s most important water catchments, are still struggling to get reliable water.

Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Minister Roza Fatch Mbilizi has voiced outrage at the situation and promised to return within three months to check progress.

The district’s rivers and streams have long supplied households, farms and industry well beyond its borders.

The Likhubula-Blantyre Water Supply System, for example, carries water from Mulanje Mountain to communities elsewhere. Yet those living closest to the source often benefit least, a contradiction that critics say sits at the heart of the country’s water governance.

The minister’s visit took place at a gathering of water boards, local authorities, traditional leaders and water users’ representatives, held at Hapuwani Village Lodge.

Vice Chairperson Humphreys Mchenga called for swift intervention.

Speaking at the meeting, he said communities needed working systems, maintained infrastructure and a clear timeline for delivery rather than further diagnosis of the problem.

Water shortages in Mulanje are not new, and residents have heard promises before.

A commentary on the visit argued that the difficulty is not simply a lack of water but the failure of infrastructure, management and investment to turn natural abundance into household access.

The minister’s promise of a follow-up visit has been welcomed as a step towards accountability, though the same commentary suggested residents would judge it by results.

The test, it said, is whether taps begin to flow consistently in villages that have spent years watching water pass them by.