LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) was this week fined MK106 million by Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) for illegal water connection at its headquarters offices in the capital Lilongwe.
This follow LWB routine exercise of checking customers that discovered that the MCP premices had illegal water connection on Thursday, November 24.
Consequently, the utility body had no choice but to disconnect and fined the oldest party MK106 million.
The development comes amid the party’s outstanding rental over MK200 million it owes to Lilongwe City Council the matter which is in court.
The Maravi Post’ visit at the premises on Sunday afternoon, found no running taps.
According to LWB officials there were two water supply to the premise, one illegal and the other one legal.
“The legal water supply was disconnected sometime back due to the party’s failure to settle a bill amounting to K6.8 million. The party has been failing to honor an agreement to settle the bill.
“Instead the party has been using water illegally, and the illegal connection according to LWB has been there for the past 10 years until it was discovered last week,” said LWB official.
There was no immediate reaction on matter from MCP officials.
Not only MCP has been slapped with the fine LWB has also gone further disconnecting water supply to Pacific Village and Central Medical Stores Trust after it was discovered the supply was illegally connected.
The board which is conducting Zero to Three Consumptions House to House Inspection Survey, discovered the illegal connections at Pacific Village which is owned by Pacific Group Properties in Area 9, and at Central Medical Stores Trust Warehouse in Area 6 owned by Manobec Limited.
LWB therefore fined both Pacific Group Properties and Manobec Limited- being commercial customers- MK1.5 million each as infringement penalties.
Apart from infringement penalties, the two customers will also have to pay other charges which include reinstatement/repair costs, Lilongwe Water Board overhead costs and calculated costs of illegal water supply as well as the outstanding bills.
The fines and other related charges are calculated based on the provisions of LWB’s by-laws.
