The Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) has suspended a march to Blantyre Water Board (BWB), which was supposed to take place today after the board committed to steppi up supply of water through bowsers to consumers.
Cama executive director John Kapito, speaking at a joint press briefing with BWB board chairperson James Naphambo yesterday after a two-hour meeting with representatives from the board, said BWB has made a number of commitments to address the demands that were raised in the petition hence the postponement.
Said Kapito: “The main demand was that Blantyre Water Board should make a commitment that it will start to provide locations that are heavily suffering water shortages with water through tanks twice a day and that a schedule of the supply should be published in the media and announced on notable radio stations and right now, the board’s chairperson has promised that from tomorrow onwards, the tanks will be released to the locations.”
He said Cama, together with other consumers, will be monitoring if BWB will live up to its commitment and if they fail to do so, the consumer association will have no choice but to mobilise consumers and go to the board and conduct their vigil.
“We have given Blantyre Water Board two weeks. Within those two weeks, I do not want to see an old woman or any other woman waking up very early in the morning to go and look for water,” he said.
Naphambo said the board is already supplying water bowsers to affected locations, but has realised there is a need to step up the supply and as such, BWB has hired additional bowsers from transporters such as Motal-Engil to increase the supply.
He said BWB is not happy with the current water situation.
Cama threatened to lead consumers today in a march to BWB head office where they were expected to hold a vigil until their demands on water shortages were addressed.
In a statement a few days ago, the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Development called for calm, saying government is doing all it can to resolve the water problem.
