Saturday, January 23, 2021
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Adverts
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home News National News

Blame game on Salima-Lilongwe Water project

by Clement Chinoko
27/11/2020
in National News
3 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

Khato Civils Limited and Malawi Government are blaming each other over delays to start the Salima-Lilongwe Water Project, with the contractor accusing Ministry of Finance of lacking interest to sign the loan agreement.

But the ministry says Khato Civils is failing to fulfil technical requirements such as submitting intake designs for the $315 million (about K250 billion) project.

RelatedHeadlines

Expert cautions police on Covid-19 rules enforcement

Investigator dares police on fake reports

Setback for federalism

Khato | The Nation Online
A Khato official addresses the press in this file photograph

The finger-pointing emerged during a Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Climate Change meeting in Lilongwe yesterday.

The project, designed to pump water from Lake Malawi in Salima to Lilongwe, was previously riddled by legal battles as Khato Civils pushed government to commit to the deal amid reports the Ministry of Finance was angling to cancel the contract.

The legal challenges were withdrawn after the Tonse Alliance took over government and committed to resume the project whose contract was signed over three years ago.

Addressing the meeting from Khato Civils base in Johannesburg, South Africa through video call, Khato chief executive officer Mungozi Munyani said his company was disappointed that the Ministry of Finance has not signed the loan guarantee agreement.

According to the contract terms, Khato is supposed to secure a financier for the project. Munyani said they have since secured three funders.

He said: “We submitted the designs two months ago after we renegotiated the contract [which led into the reduction of the deal from K400 billion]. The issue now remains with the Ministry of Finance. If they sign the guarantee letter then we shall start the implementation.”

But Ministry of Finance director of economic affairs McDonald Mafuta Mwale stated that they would not sanction the loan deal until all technical aspects have been resolved.

He said: “In fact, the minister [Felix Mlusu] has emphatically said there is no loan deal until the technical aspects have been resolved. Khato should submit the intake designs.

“These designs will help the technical committee to analyse the project and make recommendations on the way forward.”

Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Committee chairperson Werani Chilenga has asked Lilongwe Water Board, which primarily owns the project, and Khato Civils to ensure the designs are ready within a week.

He said: “We can’t continue to operate this way. This project must take off as soon as possible. So, we want a progress report to be submitted when Parliament starts meeting on December 7.”

Under the project, Khato Civils will construct a water intake in Lake Malawi with the capacity to pump 50 000 cubic metres per day, aimed at reducing water supply challenges in Lilongwe and surrounding areas.

The company is also expected to construct reservoirs in Lifuwu and Kanyenyeva in addition to a 111-kilometre pipeline to Kanengo, from where the drinking water will be distributed around Lilongwe and surrounding areas.

Previous Post

Fund moves to tighten controls amid probe

Next Post

Kazembe, others testify in parliamentary polls case

Related Posts

Police officers have been ordered to enforce Covid-19 guidelines
National News

Expert cautions police on Covid-19 rules enforcement

January 23, 2021
accidebt | The Nation Online
National News

Investigator dares police on fake reports

January 23, 2021
Legislators transctions business in Parliament
National News

Setback for federalism

January 23, 2021
Next Post
A woman casts her vote in the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections

Kazembe, others testify in parliamentary polls case

Trending Stories

  • Not yet given retirement benefits: Mutharika

    Tonse faulted on former presidents’ benefits

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • High-profile official angered Wirima to quit

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • FAM ex-co approves women’s national league

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Wasteful Chakwera

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Covid-19 initiative raises K18.3m in 2 days

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Opinions and Columns

Bottom Up

Thanks Team Onjezani Kenani; our turn now

January 23, 2021
My Thought

Cloud hangs on Mtambo’s head

January 23, 2021
Off the Shelf

Goodbye Trump, you were a joke

January 23, 2021
Back Bencher

Chakwera’s ‘politics’ rant was in bad taste

January 23, 2021
  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2021 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.