The engagement by SRWB with district stakeholders
* We will make sure there are no issues of theft and vandalism by encouraging the community members to own the project
* The project includes an aspect for compensation and community sensitisation to ensure conservation on damaged environment as mitigating measurers to challenges that might follow
Maravi Express
Chairperson for Sitola area development committee, Fazalo Jaidu Mkumba has assured Southern Region Water Board (SRWB) that they will engage with community members to ensure they protect the Balaka-Liwonde water supply upgrade project equipment and take care of all installed infrastructure for sustainability.
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The assurance last week when SRWB officially announced its plans to roll out a robust upgrading of the Balaka-Liwonde water supply system following serious water supply challenges people of Liwonde and Balaka were facing over the past recent years.
The project, worth K88 billion financed by the European Investment Bank, is expected to run for 18 months from November, 2025 — set to improve access to clean and reliable water; generate employment opportunities; enhance the overall quality of life for community members and support socio-economic development in the area.
Its Environmental Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report promotes environmental sustainability, which was presented by SRWB at Balaka and Machinga district executive committee meetings.
SRWB proceeded to engage other community stakeholders members at Traditional Authority (T/A) Sitola in Machinga District where Sitola area development committee chairperson, Mkumba made the assurance that they will make sure there are no issues of theft and vandalism by encouraging the community members to own the project.
Nkumba said this after been appraised by SRWB of the benefits that the project will offer to the communities during construction and upon completion — set to boost water supply to meet the growing demand due to population increase.
Mkumba
In his presentation at the district executive committee meeting in Machinga, SRWB implementation unit manager, Eng. Maxin Gwegwe Saulosi, reaffirmed the board’s commitment, saying: “SRWB is dedicated to making sure that by the end of this project, everyone has abundant and clean water while promoting sustainable development — keeping in mind that population is increasing on a daily basis.“
Saulosi highlighted that the project includes an aspect for compensation and community sensitisation to ensure conservation on damaged environment as mitigating measurers to challenges that might follow.
Eng. Saulosi
“We are also eager to work closely with the communities so that we are able to conserve the environment that will be damaged in the course on implementing the project.
“We will also make sure that displaced communities are compensated for the land that will be used for the project,” he said.
Senior Chief Sitola acknowledged that his area is severely impacted by water scarcity and commended the project’s potential to improve public health, saying: “This project brings relief as it will provide safe drinking water which l am sure will reduce threat of cholera and other waterborne diseases.
Senior Chief Sitola
“I am sure this will also save many lives and bring the much-needed security to our community,” said the Senior Chief, concurring with sentiments made at the Balaka meeting by Senior Chief Nsamala, who also acknowledged that it will curb waterborne diseases as most people are currently relying on unsafe water sources in his area.
He also applauded SRWB for pledging to work hand in hand with the community members, asking that such collaboration should be sustained because “history has shown that most companies sideline members of the community opting for people from other areas — even for jobs that do not require experience and qualification.”
He said this after Eng. Saulosi assured that SRWB will work hand in hand with the communities around the area to give them job opportunities so that they own the project — thereby increasing its sustainability.
Saulosi further assured that SRWB had been working around the clock to find long-lasting solutions following the serious water challenges Balaka and Liwonde residents were facing.
“We will be tapping water from the Shire River and we are hopeful that within a year and a half, residents will be able to access clean water,” he said. “The water will also be distributed in all the areas along the route up to Chingeni.
He added that there will be a provision of water reservoir tanks along the distribution line — at Sosola with a capacity 1.5 million litres; at Chiyenda Usiku 500,000 litres and Chingeni 250,000 litres — “just to make sure that there should be no more intermittent water supply”.
Machinga District Council environmental desk officer, Andrew Hamuza Kaitano hailed the community engagement as a strategic move to ensure timely and successful execution of the project, saying: “We are here to support SRWB and make sure that there should be no obstacles to slow down the project.”—Content by Doricah Mkwapatira, Alice Ndunya & Mary Makhiringa, Malawi News Agency (MANA); edited by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express
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