Blantyre Water Board (BWB) Employees Trade Union has asked the Comptroller of Statutory Corporations to intervene on the standoff between chief executive officer Yeremia Chihana and its board of directors as the strained relations threaten operations.
In a letter dated May 29 2026, the union said its “firm position” is that Chihana and the board of directors can no longer work together in a manner that benefits BWB as an entity, its staff and the people they serve.
They further indicated that they will reconvene 14 days from the date of the letter and take action if the matter remains unresolved.
“The ongoing warfare at the top has trickled down, completely destabilising the operations of the board. Members of staff are facing severe workplace distress, drop in morale and productivity,” reads in part the letter signed by the union’s general secretary Davie Maluwa and president Victor Munishi.
In the letter, the workers further allege that in April this year BWB paid three chief executive officers and eight directors, a situation that is draining resources that could have been used for other operations.
“If this governance failure is allowed to continue, Blantyre Water Board will be completely paralysed in no time, hence failing to achieve our mission of providing clean, potable water for the public,” the letter further reads.
Comptroller of Statutory Corporations Stuart Ligomeka did not respond to our call or a WhatsApp message yesterday.
The BWB board of directors suspended Chihana in April this year, barely weeks after his approintment, pending a disciplinary hearing into a series of allegations of abuse of office.
On May 19 2026, the High Court of Malawi discharged its earlier order that had reinstated Chihana while he challenged his suspension.
Presiding Judge Allan Muhome advised Chihana to seek an alternative remedy at the Industrial Relations Court, which is designated to handle labour disputes.
Days later, Chihana obtained a fresh court order reinstating him, and he filed an appeal in the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal challenging the High Court of Malawi ruling that lifted judicial protection against his suspension.
