After a year the magnificent Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) in southern district of Thyolo, water shortage has hit the institution hard due to Southern Region Water Board (SRWB)’s failure completing water tank connection from Lichenza River.
According to students, staff members who collaborated a development to Maravi Post revealed that water shortage has been hitting the institution severely since its opening 2014 as 250,000 litre tank the university has, water capacity is not enough to supply adequately the entire university as it only lasts for two days.
Water shortages become worse during dry season as the tank fails to pump enough water which has led staffs and students’ resorting to use water from boreholes of the institution’s surrounding communities which tend disrupting classes’ schedules as students spend much time to get water for their daily uptake.
“This is a worrisome development for such magnificent university struggling with water just a year since its opening. Few months of our stay, the problem wasn’t noticed but around September and November, 2014, it’s when we felt the pinch of water shortage such that we are living with the problem till now.
“We spend much time on fetching water outside of the campus as the tank the institution has, fails to pump enough water for all of us which just last for two days. This has worsened our time table for classes and studies. Ministry of education and Water have to work on the matter as soon as possible by making sure that water is provided here”, demanded a student who confided in with the Maravi Post.
Echoing on the same, a lecture at university wondered if the institution was really ready starting offering tertary education regarding to water shortage which was an eminent resource catalyzing work at the university.
When approached to shed more light on the development, James Mphande, MUST Spokesperson refused to comment further by saying SRWB was in a better position to give reasons as to why was failing to connect water to the university.
Efforts to get in touch with MacDonald Phiri, SRWB’s Spokesperson yielded nothing as he refused to comment on the matter referring The Maravi Post to Ministry of Water.
But sources within SRWB in the district revealed that politics during former President Joyce Banda played part in the whole matter as there was delaying tactics prior to the university’s opening.
“Before the former President Bingu died, an institution was identified to help in connecting water pipes to the university then the same connection to the university’s surrounding communities including Chingadza, Goliati and Chisoka. But the development didn’t materialize due to change of power from the late Bingu to Joyce Banda whose effects are the ones students and staffs experiencing now”, revealed the source at SRWB in Thyolo district.
Sandram Maweru, Ministry of water’s Spokesperson demanded enough time before he could give more information regarding to the water shortage at MUST when he was contacted.
Malawi Parliament passed The Malawi Science and Technology (MUST)’s Bill in 2010 after the Chinese Government agreed to offer loan grant worth US$70 million through Export-Import Bank of China to build the new academic institution on the condition of paying the loan in 20 years.
In 2011, the late President Bingu Wa Mutharika moved the planned university’s initial site from the capital Lilongwe to his own Ndata Estate, home district of Thyolo.
MUST was one of the ambitious Bingu’s initiative to open five new institutions of high learning in 10 years from 2010 to 2020.
Among other five proposed institutions including The University of Bangula in Chikhwawa devoted to cotton research and water resources, The university of Marine Biology focusing on aquaculture in Mangochi, University of Mombera in Mzimba among others.
