Mbayani to have new water kiosks

BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR

Residents of Mbayani Township in Blantyre stand to benefit from the 30.2 million Euros (about K56 billion) peri-urban water and sanitation programme, which Water for People, a local non-governmental organization, plans to carry out in the commercial city.

The organization in partnership with Blantyre Water Board (BWB) plan to construct 363 water kiosks in almost all low income areas of the commercial city to give residents affordable water systems who usually face challenges to access clean and potable water.

Mbayani is one of the highly populated areas in the commercial capital where sanitation is poor and access to potable water is just a dream among most of the residents.

Water for People Project Manager Elias Chimulambe said on Wednesday that with a budget of K84million, his organization plans to construct 18 water kiosks while a good number of broken taps will face rehabilitation in Mbayani alone.

Chimulambe explained that the project aims at supplying low income earners with affordable water sources as one of the means of fighting dysentery resulting from use of contaminated water, reduce the long distances women walk to fetch water and improving sanitation, among the residents.

“Water is a catalyst for good health and good sanitation. We believe these kiosks will play a crucial role in the improvement of sanitation among residents of this area,” he said.

He also expressed hope that the new taps will reduce congestion and panic that characterize the country’s water kiosks.

“It’s sad that sometimes women rise as early as 3 am to fetch water, especially when there have been water shortages or stoppages during the day. And what’s more sad is that during this type of errands that criminals rape them before snatching their bowls,” said Chimulambe.

In his remarks, BWB chief executive officer Andrew Thawe hailed the project saying it will reduce the pressure the board is currently facing to provide piped water to its new as well as existing customers.

But Thawe deplored the tendency by many water users who do not want to pay their bills on time forcing the board to disconnect them.

“Poeple have to pay their bills so that the board can be able to construct new more kiosks,” he said.

Meanwhile, the BWB chief has indicated that they will facilitate the formation of water users’ associations to run the kiosks as business entities to reduce cases of default among water users.

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