BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)— As people are still debating the viability of the Lake Malawi water project, legislators have asked the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Goodall Gondwe, to bring the issue back to the parliament for further scrutiny.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Water Development, and Irrigation Joseph Chidanti Malunga, told media that the project needs further scrutiny, considering the size of the project, and the tax-payer moneys involved.
“Lilongwe needs water, but the government is cutting corners. Why the speed? Why the huge amount of money? They say the project is under EPC-engineering, procuring and construction. We are not convinced the reasons why they decided on this, because the contractor can raise the cost of the project beyond the reach of the government,” Chidanti Malunga said.
The estimated cost of the project is US$500 million, according to the successful bidder of the project, Katho Civils.
However the Lilongwe Water Board (LWB), owners of the multi-million project
reacted to Malunga’s remarks, and said the contractor and the government are yet to agree on the cost.
LWB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Alfonso Chikuni, wondered where people attained the US$500 million figure as the project cost.
“I don’t know where people are getting the figure of US$500 million from. The government and the contractor are yet to agree on the cost.”
Lawmakers’ demand comes few days after the owner of Khatho Civils Simbi Phiri, informed the local media that he has been funding the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
“MCP knew me first and they came to me and I knew DPP later and I would do that for anybody for that matter, because this is the spirit that I have,” Simbi said to a group of Malawian journalists, who are in Johannesburg, South Africa, on tour of some of Khato’s projects.
The bankrolling of DPP and MCP has raised question in some quarters as they interpret it as a move of getting favours from the people that are in power, and then have no checks and balances from the main opposition.
Both the DPP and the MCP spokespersons, confirmed of getting funding from the business tycoon.
Khato Civils has been engaged to do the project, which entails pumping water from Lake Malawi in Salima to Lilongwe.
Lilongwe has a population of approximately 1.1 million residences, out of which only 800,000 are connected to waterlines, and Chikuni said the project will lead to 300,000 new connections, upon completion.
