Ministry of Water and Sanitation Principal Secretary Elias Chimulambe says works to maximise Kamuzu Dam 1 in Lilongwe to supply water to an additional 25 000 residents will end in May.
He said this on Wednesday during a tree-planting exercise and project inspection at Malingunde that Lilongwe Water Board organised.
Chimulambe highlighted that when President Lazarus Chakwera inaugurated the Kamuzu Dam 1 Project, he assured the people of Malingunde that they would benefit from it.
He said he was pleased to see the project nearing completion.
“For years, communities around the dam have been struggling to access clean water despite the dam supplying water to other areas. Now, this is being addressed,” said Chimulambe.
He further said the project, valued at K25 billion, will not only benefit Malingunde but also extend to Bunda.
Chimulambe, however, commended the board for its efforts in ensuring the sustainability of water sources, particularly through its initiative to plant 6 000 trees along Dzalanyama Catchment Area.
Lilongwe Water Board chairperson Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa V reaffirmed the board’s commitment to fulfilling the President’s directive of ensuring that surrounding communities benefit from the dam.
“As a board, we took this directive seriously and after inspecting the project, we are pleased that it is on track for completion by May 2 2025,” he said.
M’mbelwa also stressed the importance of tree-planting, saying many trees were removed during the rehabilitation process.
Senior Chief Masumbankhunda welcomed the tree-planting initiative, urging communities to take an active role in protecting trees to ensure sustainability.
He warned that local by-laws will be enforced to prevent deforestation.
The board has so far planted 176 000 out of the planned 268 000 trees along Lilongwe River under the Dzalanyama Catchment Initiative.
