Minister of Information and Communications Technology Shadric Namalomba has conceded that $13.9 million (about K23.4 billion) of Blantyre Water Board (BWB) project funds was used in Zambia maize procurement, but said the financier approved the arrangement.
The minister’s written response to The Nation questionnaire yesterday comes amid accusations that the government took funds from financially struggling BWB to top up the $45 million (about K78.7 billion) from the World Bank for the 2025-2026 emergency maize purchases from Zambia.
He said the World Bank reallocated resources from three of its projects, including BWB projects while the government put in $11.18 million (K19.5 billion) in domestic funding.
Namalomba said the money was rechannelled with the World Bank approval, from undisbursed balances in three ongoing operations.
He said: “The World Bank funds came from $6 million from the Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project, $14 million from the Malawi Water and Sanitation Programme [implemented by BWB and Blantyre City Council];
“…and $25 million from the Resilient and Strategic Transport Operational Enhancement Project. The support was essential and the projects from which the funds were drawn remain active and protected.”
Namalomba said the $13.9 million (rounded to $14 million in his response] which the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament queried was drawn from the Malawi Water and Sanitation Programme where BWB is a sub component.
“If any financing gaps emerge, they will be addressed through normal project monitoring, restructuring, or additional financing discussions with the World Bank,” he said.
Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation Joseph Mwanamvekha said in a separate interview that the money was directly paid by the World Bank to Zambian authorities.
“The World Bank can give you a breakdown of where that money came from,” he said.
In June this year, PAC chairperson Steven Malondera urged government to refund the $13.9 million he said was withdrawn from BWB for maize purchases.
The matter emerged at the time the committee scrutinised BWB accounts and expenditure.
The same matter resurfaced last week, when PAC engaged the National Local Government Finance Committee, an entity used as financier of the $45 million maize purchase from Zambia’s Food Reserve Agency.
Malondera argued that the $13.9 million from BWB could have been better invested in improving water infrastructure and access to clean, potable water than in meeting short-term maize needs.
In October 2025, Mwanamvekha announced that government secured $45 million in emergency food security funding from the World Bank to purchase maize from Zambia.
Malawi wanted to import 200 000 metric tons (MT) of maize at about $355 (about K621 600) per MT, an equivalent to K621 per kilogramme (kg).
However, only 103 000 MT was paid for and arrived in the country.
In an earlier interview, National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) chief executive officer Bruce Munthali said discussions were in progress on the 97 000MT of maize in Zambia, but insisted that priority is on buying maize from local farmers.
