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.
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.
Why are they hiking things they can’t provide
Kodi dziko lino likupita kuti madzi 4 to 5dayz asakutuluka chokwezera chikhara chani????
Ndiye kuti 20 litters azipanga MK5000
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!
Our leaders today, are seem not to care about the suffering of their subjects.
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!!!!
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
Why not telling us,how stupid are you sons & daughters of idiots?
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
Its not 15% its 100% mbuzi za anthu bill imabwera 4pon pano mdi 8 pin musamale a water board
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?
Dumisani Moyo
Kkk… I hear you!
Thieves. Very stupid. ..
Madzi ake osatulukawa
GUD NDIYOT WATER PIPES DONOT HAVE ELECTRIC SHOCK! TIZBA MUSAVUTIKE TIONE ALUZE NDAN?
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.
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
This is how you do ,ife tikungoyang,ana and @ the end tivulazidwe ,aaaah mwemo….this is the warm heart of Africa
Madzi omwewa awulolowa mpakana kuwakweza as if it coming from america
Remind the boards that the salaries are still the same
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!!
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?
#Nganya unless you have developed your own definition of coup you can share your new understanding of coup
They are just used to milking Malawians, thin already. That unfair
Zimenezo ndiye za u criminal akukana anzathu zija mau transparence and accountability amachokera pamenepa why not tell people in radios and newspapers
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
That’s a sign of broken economy, crying for my Malawi
Asilikali ali kut kodi kuno..
that’s afta kudya ku escom, they hav now landed on water board
case to answer
Bryan Poulton
Anakweza mitengo ya madzi kukamwa kwake sure…Asadzandiyankhulitsenso…Komabe bola kusiyana ndi uyu wazamagetsiyu.
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
Evil Doers – – mukapsya ndi moto
CAMA is in a deep sleep Malawians taken for a ride coz they dont react
KKKKK, KOMA ABALE NA MMALAWI NDIYE NDI MATULO. WAKWEZA MADZI NDI BOMA KAPENA WA WOTER BOAD???
kkkk where is CAMA? I Can see malawians in a sinking boat
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…..
TRUE, kuvuta Kwa magesi si madzi okha koma chilipo chimene chimachitika ndi Ndalama zomwe amatolela.
Kwambiri ndalama zikupita ku chipani ma company awa samatakasuka just bcoz amatapako zambiri
Comment loading….
osa danda boma ili ndilo nvela,amapanga chigani lero mawa ndikubwenza.
Let the soldiers take over Malawi, detained that idiot please.
Atleast pamenepo ubwinotu wa Peter muthalika ndi umenewo zilibwino kwabasi
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.
John Kapito where are you?
Poor salaries,,,poor electricity supply,,,poor people and then THIS?????….mukweza salary ndi 100% musakufuna NDIIIITHU!!!!
Speechless olo tiyankhule they don’t bother
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.
I like your reasoning
where does the money you steal from us go,why malawi please do you treat the citizenry like this?
The Minister responsible has made a directive to concerned board not to hike water tarrifs in paliament @ noon. No need to punic!
Even if they told malawians nothing could have happen coz this government dnt listen to thier people
bomaaa iloooooo lyolyolyolyo.
Rubbish
Again & again , escom impanganso soon kkk
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
ACHITA BWINO ANTHU OMWE ANAVOTERA PETER INU MUTIPHESA COZ UWU NDIU FITI WAMASANA SANA
How could they… Taking Malawians for granted. #TooBad
Nothing to get astonished with there….everything has gone up nowadays
Yes very true but at least they could have notified their customers before the hike.
That shows that they dnt care about thier customers
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
Zachamba madzi ake omwewa amanyiwa
I thought as much cos from no where my bill eish…..doubled. Why or why