The country’s Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) has asked the Malawi government to come open to its citizens those living in the districts of Machinga, Blantyre, Zomba, Balaka, and Karonga for denied access to good road network and portable water respectively though funds were identified for same projects.
The Malawi government is being accused of seek and hide game of not telling locals the truth as to why the much need Machinga-Chingale-Lirangwe road remains under developed despite an authorization loan through Malawi Parliament amounting to US$18 gotten in November 13, 2013 from Kuwait Fund for Arab Development Bank.
While on the other hand, sabotage has gone beyond locals’ imagination in Karonga as to when will have safe and portable water as a borehole serves over 500 people daily, the water which is also salty.
The development comes amid unresolved social-economic challenges Malawians are facing which includes skyrocketing of good and services prices, collapse of national security, dwindling of health service delivery, electricity blackouts among others.
Through an interface with the media on Monday, August 31, 2015, CCJP presented two position papers regarding to Karonga water woes and Machinga-Chingale-Lirangwe road by outlining challenges Malawians encountering due to the completion delay of the two projects.
“MGDS I and II notes that there is an increase in population with access to safe and portable water, whilst Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN) 2010 report titled, “analysis of water supply and sanitation sector financing in Malawi”, speaks contrary indicating that the majority of Malawians are yet to have access to clean and portable water as a result of dysfunctional water points.
“Water is attached to the green belt allocation such that on the paper shows increased but in essence there is a decrease in the allocation alluding to reduction in ministries and lack of donor funds, for instance, 2012/2014 budget water was least funded sector.
“The case of Karonga district council water sector is one of the least funded in the council vote of MK4.4 million which was allocated to water sector in 2013/2014 national budget expected to 300 water point committees which until now the allocation has gone down further”,
reads in part of the paper for the project tilted, Promotion of Democratic and Accountable Governance (PDAG).
On the failed Machinga-Chingale-Lirangwe road, CCJP demands the truth from the Minister of Transport Francis Katsaila as to why he lied to locals in January, 2015 that the road’s commencement would start April 2015 upon visiting the site which until now nothing on the ground is cooking up.
“Transport is one of the key priorities in MGDS II which also recognize the role of transport sector in promoting economic growth and contributing to poverty reduction. Transport is one of the well-funded priority area of the MGDS which has experienced an increase in budget allocation from 2011to 2013.
This the reason, a 62.3 kilometer Machinga-Chingale-Lirangwe road remains important as it serves communities of Zomba, Blantyre and Machinga districts for their agricultural produces’ better markets including rice, sugarcane, cassava and maize but now remain a nightmare.
“The road is estimated at US$32 million (MK18.026 billion) such that on November 3, 2013, Malawi Parliament passed loan bill which eventually November 19, 2013 signed a concession loan with Kuwait Development Fund worthy US$18 million and then December 3, 2013,
former President Joyce Banda assents the loan authorization bill.
“In April 2014, the roads authority advertised in the local press for design and supervision which surprisingly, October 2014 there were media reports of the suspension of the road construction due to poor procurement procedures but as relief, came January, 2015, Minister of Transport visited the site by assuring locals that the road construction would resume in April 2015 which until now there is nothing to show on the ground”, queries CCJP’s PDAG issue.
Later the Maravi Post caught up with Chris Chisoni, CCJP National Secretary on prospects of the two stalling projects towards next course of action if government won’t come to its senses and promise, saying his organization would continue lobbying until locals were served better than later.
“Government is the main duty bearer and expected to deliver access to clean and portable water, and access to transport infrastructure as a human right as spelled out in section 30 of the supreme law of the land-Malawi Constitution.
“Therefore, Malawi government has to be honest to its citizens with right information on these two failed projects. Politics must not be played at the expense of the poor as such provisions derive from their taxes. So, CCJP with other partners will continue pressing authorities
hard until communities in these areas are given what’s best for them”, assures Chisoni.
