Tag Archives: Charles Makanga

Business, Environment, Malawi, Regional, Top News

World Bank approves US $100 Million for Lilongwe-Water project

Lloyd M’bwana

WASHINGTON-(MaraviPost)-Half a million residents of Malawi’s capital city, Lilongwe, are set to benefit from improved water services and safely managed sanitation through a US$100 million project financed by the World Bank.

The World Bank this week approved financing for the six-year Lilongwe Water and Sanitation Project (LWSP) composed of a US$75 million credit and a $25 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA)

According to the Bank, the two thirds of the project funds will help rehabilitate and expand the water distribution network. This will include construction of 27km of transmission mains and associated pumping stations and storage reservoirs.

It will also upgrade 142km of existing distribution network and expand the distribution network by about 186 km to areas of the city not currently served by piped water.

Greg Toulmin, World Bank Country Manager for Malawi said that Lilongwe’s water demand will reach almost three times the current supply by 2035

“Lilongwe City faces considerable water security challenges that must be addressed urgently to serve the growing population and enhance economic activities in the capital.
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“The supply system is already under strain. However, through this project the World Bank will ease that pressure through priority investments in water distribution network rehabilitation, as well as sanitation improvements to keep up with city requirements,” Toulmin said.

Alfonso Chikuni, Chief Executive Officer of the Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) which will implement the project jointly with the Lilongwe City Council (LCC) lauded the bank for timely support

“We are determined to provide our Lilongwe city customers with more efficient services first by fixing the distribution network through this project. This project will help improve the systems hydraulic capacity and reduce losses by ten percentage points,” said Chikuni.

While improving the distribution network, the water board is simultaneously increasing the capacity of Kamuzu Dam I to assure supply in view of increasing demand. All these investments are under the broader Lilongwe Water Program which runs till 2021.

In the LWSP, sanitation improvements will take about one fifth of the project funds. Just about 5 percent of the population of Lilongwe city is served by a sewer system, while the majority relies on onsite sanitation systems such as pit latrines and septic tanks.

“We have not invested in the city’s ailing sanitation system for a long time. This project is therefore a good starting point to fix the city’s sanitation system,” added Charles Makanga, Acting Chief Executive Officer for LCC.

The project will therefore rehabilitate and expand the sewerage network (107 km) and the Kauma sewage treatment plant.

Five thousand new sewer connections will be installed to benefit about 90,000 people. There will be further support to construct 8,000 improved sanitation facilities benefiting about 160,000 people from poor and vulnerable households. Sanitation improvements will also cover some markets and schools.

The LWSP will enhance the capacity of LWB and LCC to deliver improved water services and safely managed sanitation services respectively.

The project will also build LWB’s capacity to manage its investment program. With support from the International Finance Corporation – the private sector arm of the World Bank Group – LWB will also explore options for public-private partnership for water production expansion investments.

Malawi

Lilongwe City Council sends over 90 revenue collectors on forced leave

Ausborn Banda
part of lilongwe market

Lilongwe City Council this week, sent 92 revenue collectors on force leave in a bid to pave the way for monetary investigations that will assist in establishing the benchmark for revenue collection.

According to a memo, which is signed by the City’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Charles Makanga, the revenue collectors will be on paid leave ?until November 1, 2017?.

“The Council has resolved to send you to paid leave for three months starting ?from 1st August to 31st October, 2017?,” the memo reads.

The memo further points out that the decision follows the meeting that held ?on May, 22nd? and July 13th 2017.

“This is to review the performance of markets and establish appropriate revenue targets for all the markets. Handover all properties belonging to the Council by 31st July, 2017 to your Head of Directorate,” reads the memo in part.

Confirming the matter in a telephone interview, Makanga said the resolution came after Council realized that the number of vendors does not equal with revenue collected.

“An independent team researched nine months ago, noted amount of money we got during that exercise distantly mismatches with what we now receive,” he said.

He admitted that the Council fails to deliver standard services due to financial challenges.

“The public complains of Lilongwe City Council failing to give them good services. It is true, and it’s because there are not enough finances to meet such demands,” Makanga said.

He added that after the exercise, the revenue collectors will be called back to discuss with them some issues based on the findings of this exercise.

“They are our employees and we cannot do our explorations whilst they are on duty,” he said.

However, the chairman for the concerned revenue collectors, Samuel Elias said the move has raised a lot of suspicions; they will therefore will hold a meeting ?on Friday, August 4, 2017? to explore options on actions they could take.

“There was no communication prior to the letters. Surprisingly, we have not been given any leave grants for the indicated period, and there was no formal handover,” Elias said.

“Already, 92 of us met on August 1, 2017 and we resolved to pursue the matter further. We are currently consulting legal counsel for direction,” he said.

According to Elias, some of the revenue collectors have worked with LCC for periods ranging from thirty to fifty years.

 

Malawi

MCP lawmaker Highton Jiya no more

Maravi Post correspondent

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—sorrow has engulfed the main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) family following the demise of one of their officials Highton Jiya, who was until his death Member of Parliament (MP) for Lilongwe Msozi North.

According to MCP parliamentary Chief whip Lobin Lowe, Jiya has died in the early hours of 2 January, 2017.

Jiya: no more

“Yes its true Honourable Jiya who was the MP for Lilongwe Misozi North died on Sunday at Mwayiwathu hospital in Blantyre as a party we will miss him because of his greater contributions he was making in Parliament especially on Land related matters because of his experience that he tapped after working at length at lands ministry,” said Lowe in an interview with local media.

District Commissioner for Lilongwe Charles Makanga said Jiya died at Mwaiwathu hospital in Blantyre where he was receiving treatment.

“I have just received news of the death of honourable Jiya. I am yet to receive information surrounding his death and programme for his burial. His remains are still in Blantyre,” said Makanga.

The remains of late Jiya will be taken to Lilongwe for burial at his home village in Nathenje area in the district.

This is the second MP that MCP has lost after losing another one in Mchinji, Kanjira Banda but the seat was retained by MCP following the triumph of Jepther Mwale.