Mayor Sagawa outlining Lilongwe City’s plans
* We are committed to improving the lives of our citizens, and sanitation is a critical aspect of this
* Currently, only 5% of our population is served by gravity-fed piped sewerage systems
* Leaving a significant portion of our residents without access to proper sanitation facilities
By Tamara Chafunya in Kampala, Uganda
At the African Water and Sanitation Association (AFWASA) International Congress in Kampala, Uganda, Mayor of Lilongwe City, Councillor Esther Sagawa, took centre stage when she outlined the plans for the Capital City’s sanitation in sector.
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The ongoing 22nd AFWASA Congress is sharing experiences and efforts in improving access to water and sanitation in African cities and beyond — and Mayor Sagawa shared that with a growing population of over 1.2 million people, Lilongwe City faces significant challenges in providing adequate sanitation services to its residents.
“We are committed to improving the lives of our citizens, and sanitation is a critical aspect of this,” Mayor Sagawa said. “Currently, only 5% of our population is served by gravity-fed piped sewerage systems, leaving a significant portion of our residents without access to proper sanitation facilities.”
The Mayor highlighted the city’s rapid growth rate of 4.3% per year, which has put a strain on the existing infrastructure: “Our population density has increased from 1,660 people per square metre in 2008 to 2,453 people per square metre in 2018, making it essential for us to invest in upgrading our sanitation systems.”
To address these challenges, she unveiled that Lilongwe City Council has developed a comprehensive plan to improve sanitation services — which includes investing in new infrastructure, such as piped sewerage systems and waste treatment plants.
The plan is also designed to promote alternative sanitation solutions, such as decentralised wastewater treatment systems and community-led total sanitation (CLTS) initiatives.
“We are also working to strengthen our regulatory framework and enforcement mechanisms to ensure that all residents have access to safe and hygienic sanitation facilities,” she told the delegates.
“This includes partnering with private sector operators to provide sanitation services to low-income households and promoting public-private partnerships to finance sanitation infrastructure development.”
The Mayor emphasised the importance of community engagement and participation in the sanitation planning process: “We recognise that sanitation is not just a technical issue, but also a social and cultural one.”
She added that the City was working to raise awareness and promote behavioral change among our residents, particularly in peri-urban and unplanned settlements, where sanitation challenges are most acute.
The Mayor took cognizance that Lilongwe City Council’s plans for sanitation improvement are ambitious, but she expressed confidence that with the support of stakeholders, including the government, private sector, and civil society, “the city can make significant progress in addressing its sanitation challenges”.
“We are committed to making Lilongwe City a model for urban sanitation in the region. We believe that with the right investments, partnerships, and community engagement, we can provide safe and hygienic sanitation facilities to all our residents, regardless of their income or social status,” concluded Mayor Sagawa.
The AFWASA international conference has brought together members from 237 countries, including 100 utilities institutions from over 40 countries, which is sharing best practices and innovations in accelerating safe water and sanitation for all — under the theme; ‘Investing in Infrastructures To Sustain the Value Chain Towards Safely Managed Sanitation For All’.
Her presentation is expected to offer valuable insights into the status of sanitation in Lilongwe City, which currently faces significant challenges in managing both wastewater and solid waste.
Despite major reforms and investment, Lilongwe City struggles with water access and sanitation are not new, with many residents relying on unprotected sources for their daily water needs.
According to recent reports, only two in three people in Malawi have access to clean water, and the country loses about 1.1% of its GDP due to poor health outcomes attributed to low access to safely managed sanitation services.
Malawi Government through the Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) has been working to address these issues, with plans to increase the number of water kiosks in low-income areas and reduce the price of water in these selling points.
LWB has also pinned its hopes on the multi-million dollar World Bank-funded Lilongwe Water and Sanitation Project, which aims to benefit half a million people through improved water services and safely managed sanitation.
Meanwhile, initiatives such as the Integrated Waste Management Peri-Urban Assessment in Lilongwe are working to improve access to faecal sludge and solid waste services in the city’s peri-urban areas.
The project, funded by UNICEF, seeks to support the implementation of a circular economy model, with combined solid waste and sludge resource recovery
Meanwhile, on February 4, Lilongwe City Council held a full Council budget meeting where councilors discussed various development projects and approved the budget for the next financial year, pegged at MWK24 billion.
Of this amount, MWK14 billion will be generated from own source revenues, while MWK10.7 billion will be financed under Central Government Transfers.
The budget covers road upgrading, rehabilitation & maintenance — including pothole patching — drainage construction and street lighting improvements.
Specific projects include the upgrading of major roads such as Penyenye to Mtaya, Masaf Road in Area 49, and Katete to the Western Bypass. Additionally, funds have been allocated for road grading, installation of security cameras, and the maintenance of solar streetlights along key routes.
The Council emphasised the importance of transparency and efficiency in implementing development projects to ensure long-term benefits for Lilongwe residents.
Discussions also focused on key infrastructure, road rehabilitation, and health services aimed at improving the city’s quality of life.
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