Water tariffs hiked in Malawi

Nov 16, 2017 Top News 66
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Blantyre

Water boards in Malawi hiked water tariffs by at least 15 percent without telling Malawians.

According to the local media, Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) and Northern Region Water Board (NRWB) hiked their tariffs in August while Blantyre Water Board (BWB) raised the tariffs in September.

Commercial users have also been paying more money as tariffs for commercial usage were raised by 20 percent.

Water tariffs hiked.

NRWB spokesperson, Edward Nyirenda said the parastatal board increased tariffs by 15 percent starting from August 1 this year but he said that they followed procedures since government approved the increment in the 2017/18 financial year.

According to Nyirenda, the board held engagement meetings with its customers to alert them and proposed tariff increases were submitted to government before later being approved.

Raising tariffs without telling customers is prohibited under Section 6 of the Consumer Protection

Act (CPA) which says service providers should provide consumers with true, sufficient, clear and timely information on the services they offer.

Some consumers complained to Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) that in recent months they have been receiving high bills even though there has been no significant change in the way they use water.

CFTC Director for Consumer Welfare and Education Lewis Kulisewa confirmed receiving the complaints to the local media and said his organization will investigate the water users’ claims.

“The investigation is ongoing and, as soon as the investigation is concluded, we will advise the general public [accordingly],” he said.

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66 Comments

  4. Malawians let us learn to be objective and also learn from past scenario! In so long as we want to get things under cost we should know we are going to remain indigent for along time to come.
    We have learnt through painful experience with Malawi Housing and University Education what unwarranted subsidies or undercost supplies do to a system!
    I have always supported the privatisation of government bodies like water board to avoid this undercost supply malaise for sustainability purposes. Appeasement will neither work nor help. Economics is a science that plays on rules in default of which disaster looms.
    Lastly Malawians, learnt to comment on facts not blind consensus or ignorance.
    A welfare state is not possible!

  6. The only problem with us Malawians timangolalata malo moti APA we show our anger on the street, coz tikalalata APA basi zitha and the hike will b implemented!!!!

  7. I was wondering why my bill was so high. Guys we are also being ripped off when air is in the water lines. Because the water board don’t keep their pipes full if water air gets into the pipes and when that air goes through your water meter it spins very fast and increases it’s reading so you pay for air. I think the water board know this and therefore don’t put in a air relief valve to stop this happening as it’s more money for them. You can purchase a air removal valve install it before the water meter and save about 20% on your water bill

  9. Munthu ukulandira k50000 nyumba akudule k20000 water board ukalipire k4500, magetsi k5000 ndiye umphawi sungathe nanga ndalama yosatsalayo munthu ungadye masiku angati banja la anthu 5, mavuto panyasaland sazatha

  11. ooho akweza madzi bwanji ngati akumatuluka….?kapena anzanga inu kumadera akwanuko madzi akumatuluka eti..?pa week madzi akumatuluka kamodzi kapena kawiri kokha basi nanga pa mwenzi akutuluka kangati.?ndie akukwezapo chani…?kuba eti?

  16. The hot heart of Africa. In other countries its total curls if increaments of such kind are done without notification. Just imagine MHC raised rentals by 43% and one reporter from Times said it was proper. Time will come when Malawians will not be taken as toilet tissues.

  17. thus nonsense how can they be raising these tariffs every three months? in this year only they hv raised four times!!! wch company can raise salaries for three times in a year? think of people b4 u do

  18. This is how you do ,ife tikungoyang,ana and @ the end tivulazidwe ,aaaah mwemo….this is the warm heart of Africa

  21. If this is true then Malawi truly needs a Zimbabwe coup approach all ministry heads including president akufunika makofi it seems every department is at liberty to effect changes at their will without consultating relevant stakeholders. Recently it was DRTSS this time it’s water board….you think 15% is a mean value? Do you know the implications this will have on other products? Watch out! try Dyson Likore as army commander all this foolishness shall come to an end!!

    1. Zimbabwe coup? What coup? There’s no coup in Zim. At this very moment the spineless and corrupt generals are begging Mugabe to step down, and he’s saying no. You call that a coup?

  23. Zimenezo ndiye za u criminal akukana anzathu zija mau transparence and accountability amachokera pamenepa why not tell people in radios and newspapers

  24. bribery wll not ends as far as this malawi government rule by malawias need mind set to be changed they see money they think themselves not others that z why tarifs hiked from no wher reason they need money not services to people,s land zimbabwe na malawi

  31. They took people for granted so they just do what they see is good to them they don’t care but one day you’ll see what Mugabe and his wife grace see in Zimbabwe

  36. Thats dpp gorvement that iknow…akufuna atolele zakampeni 2019 adzagule chi bus chokwera munthu mmodzi kkkkk koma ndikakumbukira kampeni yamu 2009 ndimangoseka……..water bord ndi escom ndima kampani omwe boma la dpp limatengeko ndalama zambiri zoyendesela chipani chawo kawafunseni ogwira ntchito awo aku waterbord ndi escom akuuzani …..ndichifukwa chake ma company awa amaoneka kuti ntchito zawo zimavuta kuti atipatse ma service abwino oyenera…….shame on you DPP members…..

  41. That’s how the present government does. That’s for campaign, it’s just the start, expert more to come. Water board Escom does the same it’s where big bosses rely on.

  45. At least they provide a service unlike escom is expensive but no service. Thank you kawiluwilu for your service, but next time inform us before you raise tariffs ah.

  47. The Minister responsible has made a directive to concerned board not to hike water tarrifs in paliament @ noon. No need to punic!

  52. Thats Malawi iknw, today its a problem & tomorrow the same problm is multiplied,who shall com & rescue us ? nobody eissshh !!! paja kukhala mmalawi mkulimba mtima

    3. That’s true there was need to inform customers appropriately because doing like as they have done shows lack of concern but the hike is justifiable……the cost of everything has really gone up unbeatably

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