No plans to rehabilitate dip tanks—Govt

Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Allan Chiyembekeza on Tuesday told Parliament that government has no plans to rehabilitate domesticated animals’ dip tanks.

In his response to a question from member of Parliament (MP) for Lilongwe Mapuyu North Horace Chipuwa (Malawi Congress Party-MCP), Chiyembekeza said despite the ministry being aware of the dilapidated state of most dip tanks in the country, his ministry cannot commit itself to immediate rehabilitation of the facilities.

Said Chiyembekeza: “Due to decentralisation, the responsibility of running the dip tanks in the country is now under local communities where the tanks are located. Therefore, members are asked to consult their own local authorities to see to it that the tanks are up and running again; the ministry would simply come in to provide policy direction.”

In a related development, Chiyembekeza could not explain how many dip tanks government has constructed in the country as well as in Chikwawa North as asked by MP for the area, Harry Thomson (Independent).

Thomson informed the House that only two dip tanks are functioning in his constituency.