Government is failing to pay contractors in the much-touted President Peter Mutharika’s Decent and Affordable Housing Subsidy (DAHSP) popularly known as Malata and Cement Subsidy Programme forcing some contractors to abandon work.
This is happening despite government spending K4.7 billion on the project so far.
As if that is not enough, some vulnerable Malawians were just promised to benefit from the programme but in vain.
And some senior chiefs have accused some district councils of hiding vital information about the programme resulting in keeping the chiefs and their subjects in the dark.
We visited some districts in the Central Region where it was clear that poverty in Malawi is far from being addressed looking at the kind of houses people use especially in Ntchisi.
In traditional authorities Chikho and Kasakula, houses with iron sheets are a scarce sight.
Ntchisi District Commissioner Malango Botomani and her counterpart in Dowa Fanny Msimuko and several other government officials in some councils said there is low morale among contractors as they have never been paid since the programme started.
Some contractors have abandoned the work.
In Ntchisi less than 100 houses have been constructed out of the targeted 300.
In Dowa about 400 houses are completed out of the targeted 525.
“We had a target of 300 houses but less than 100 have been constructed. We have not been provided with money to pay labourers. So there is low morale among them. Some houses have doors which are not yet fitted. Some materials are not yet distributed,” said Botomani.
Village headwoman Nsimba in Traditional Authority Chikho in Ntchisi said there is a disabled young man (Lemekezani) in Zamangwe village who was promised a house by the district council but he has not received anything.
Nsimba also said she needs a house as she is a widow with three children under her custody.
In Dowa, one constituency has not received any material, according to the District Commissioner.
Msimuko also echoed Botomani’s statement that no funds have been released so far for labour.
“Contractors have not been paid ever since. Funds for materials were released but not for labour. When contractors ask us we just tell them that may be they will be paid in the next phase,” said Msimuko indicating that she has no idea as to when payment will be made.
She said in some cases the council has to borrow money to cover up shortfalls.
She also said there are cases of some beneficiaries selling programme materials. But she added that delivery of materials has been at 95 percent.
Mchinji District Council did not give us information.
Senior Chief Kasakula of Ntchisi bluntly said there is no excitement from the subsidy programme among his subjects as no single house has been constructed in his area.
“In the first phase, there is no single house constructed under the programme in my area. But many people applied. I do not know why it is like that. May be it is because of the geographical position of my area. It is hilly,” said Kasakula.
But his area is passable as we were able to reach it with a small vehicle.
Senior Chief Dzoole of Dowa said people in his area are still waiting for last phase of items. He said few people have their houses completed.
Dzoole disclosed one aspect.
“Council officials hide information from us and we do not know much about the programme. The programme is not discussed openly. In my area there are only three houses completed others are unfinished,” he said.
In Mchinji, Senior Chief Mkanda said people have built houses but have no money to buy iron sheets and have resorted to fetching grass. But he said some houses at Kamwendo are now being used. But in Mkanda, there is no progress.
Senior chief Mwadzama of Nkhotakota said there are only five houses in his area but the demand is high.
“People need the houses but materials are very expensive. We ask government to make prices low to enable people buy iron sheets and cement. Some people are too poor to afford these things,” said Mwadzama.
Ministry of Lands Housing and Urban Development spokesperson Charles Vintula said K4.7 billion has been spent so far and that some houses have not been constructed.
“We had planned and assessed a total of 12,884 for the 2015/16 financial year as other beneficiaries could not proceed with the loan arrangement due to several factors based on an individual’s readiness for the subsidy programme.
“Out of these , as at September 21 this year, 5,210 houses are fully completed and occupied by the beneficiaries while 7,562 are under construction and are towards completion,” said Vintulla.
Commenting on the abandoned houses due to lack of funding, he said:
“Funding did not stop per se but was delayed at different stages of construction due to variances in progress of the same. It was not easy to find sourcing for different stages as the requirements were also different.”
He admitted: “The Ministry was not funded one-off (lump-sum) to implement the programme at one go, hence the delays.”
On chiefs’ complaints, Vintulla said the traditional leaders have been participating in all other government projects without problems.
“We do not see why there should be some problems with this programme. If any, those are isolated cases whose causes are very local,” said Vintulla adding “DAHSP has since used K4.7 billion out of the funds that were approved by Parliament on paper, in the two financial years of implementation,” he said
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