The Water Services Association of Malawi (Wasama) has disclosed that government ministries, departments and agencies (MDA) are yet to pay K30 billion worth of bills.

Last year in March, a detailed report showed that the MDAs owed K21 billion as a list of the specific entities that owed the sum, was released. By the time, topping the list is Malawi Defence Force (MDF) and Malawi Police Service (MPS) that are in arrears with the Blantyre Water Board, Lilongwe Water Board, Northern Region Water Board, Central Region Water Board and Southern Region Water Board. According to the report, MDF is yet to settle its K11.4bn bill, as MPS has a K4bn to pay. State Residences also add to the sum, as they have registered a bill of K3bn while Prisons have an outstanding bill K1.7bn.

Wasama Executive Secretary Dokani Ngwira said that efforts were made to install prepaid meters in order to reduce the burden of accumulative water bills but the effort has not covered all departments, as it is also costly on the water boards. Installation of such meters at office was costing water boards a K120,000 while for domestic use it is only K40,000 per meter. Water boards are spending more on the exercise but they are still failing to recover their money,” said Ngwira. In 2016, it was revealed that several government ministries and a constitutional body face eviction from buildings owned by private landlords in Lilongwe and Mzuzu following failure by the government to pay rentals to Malawi Properties and Investments Company (Mpico). In 2019, the same was reported, with a total of K2.3 billion in unpaid rentals, the bill has accumulated to K5.8 billion this year. It is reported Treasury spokesperson Davis Sado said they “would chip into the matter once the repayment plan is drawn by the line ministry”.