Malawi reverses illegal water tariff hike

Nov 17, 2017 Top News 55
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Blantyre

Malawi Government has reversed a water tariff hike implemented by water boards in the country.

Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Water Development Joseph Mwanamvekha on Thursday ordered the three water boards that increased tariffs to stop using the new charges.

Joseph Mwanamvekha
Mwanamvekha: Made the order.

Speaking in Parliament after the issue was brought up, Mwanamvekha said the increment was illegal because procedures laid out in Water Works Act and Consumer Protection Act were not followed.

“I checked with what is happening on the ground and found out that indeed they have increased the tariffs.

“We have directed that that increment should be reversed immediately, but that issue will still be looked at because of other fundamentals like cash flow in water boards,” he said.

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.

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.

The CPA in Section 3 says when tarrifs are hiked illegally, consumers should get “full, timely, adequate and prompt compensation for damages suffered, which are attributed to a supplier or trader”.

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55 Comments

  1. Is It a Try n Error System That Has Been Introduced In Gvt These Days?????????Cook Well The Ideas B4 Implementation Plz

  3. Andikwana ine a water board kwambiri ndipo kuli bwino andidulire madzi awowa coz komwe ndinkatunga amakwana k3000 pa mwezi koma pano mpopi wanga k33,972.42 yachokera kt

  6. Then we need the re-embursement of already payed bills, if not then dont flatter the nation that the hike of water bill is reversed

  7. How sure are you that the tariff hike has been reversed? What has happens to the money we paid already in bills? This is illegal.

  16. So they reversed the k5000 bill n now the water tariffs. Are they for real? They should just admit they are clueless on running state affairs before the ship sinks.

  26. Well if that was a case, the government did something unconstitution and everything done out of a constitution of Malawi has to come before the court of law.

    By the definition, that act is stealing and you know the consequencies that follow.

    Besides, I can smell such act to be initiated in some of startutary cooparations.

    Another kinda of cashgate act though. And if Chakwera comes out and call the evil of this government you will start calling him a bad guy. Who is more spiritual man between the one who is a liar and a thief And the one who points out evil act??

    1. Mr dziwani, you mean up to now you dont know that chakwera is abad guy? The one who was blessed to be on opposition side forever and not respect the president, is he not abad guy? forget about chakwera lets talk about the one who is ruling.

  28. Credit my account with excess money paid please. The hike happened in July 2017, where was the boma all this time? Sleeping on duty!

    1. The point is not about reversing.. Its about how they were implemented in the first place. Do we have policy guideline anyway? Do we just change thinngs haphazardly? We have to get organised in doing things

    4. Emmanuel i totally agree with you on that,i believe they do have policies in statutory org. like water boards and even everywhere where there is an institution,meaning they’re all aware of how to get things implemented and being put on ground..my point is boma be layetsetsa poti tinazolowera kuti when policies are been overlooked by such kind,gvt inkangokhala chete kalekale leaving the revised such occurences not irreversible

  42. That’s a good move but shall we get a refund in form of a deduction from the bill to come of the money that was increased on the our bills?

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