A strategic financier for the Mpatamanga Hydro Power Project has been identified, as announced by the Ministry of Energy and the Public Private Partnership Commission (PPPC).

Speaking during a press briefing in Blantyre yesterday, PPPC Acting Chief Executive, Audrey Mwala, said after a thorough bidding process where fifteen firms expressed interest, financiers from France and Netherlands have been confirmed.

Last year, Zambia-based Engineer Kaela Kennedy Siame advised Malawi to look beyond hydropower and explore other energy sources. Kaela’s advise followed as government outlined plans to spend about K438bn on the Mpatamanga Hydropower project, a development that sparked opposition from various business players who commented that the two current hydropower stations are already failing, therefore the Mpatamanga project may not be worth the investment. The Consumer Association of Malawi (Cama) Executive Director John Kapito cited that low water levels and siltation are problems that the two projects already face, suggesting that the Mpatamanga project should have an alternate water source.