Analysis of water governance in Malawi: towards a favourable enabling environment?

Abstract

This paper examines the enabling environment for effective water governance in Malawi by specifically determining the extent to which the water acts and policies of Malawi reflect international water governance principles of participation, accountability and transparency. It is argued that governance issues determine the extent to which sound and equitable water sharing is achieved among competing uses. Despite the fact that Malawi has vast freshwater resources, the country experiences chronic water shortages in some parts; this is due to disparities in water distribution to the extent that the country has been classified to be going towards water stress by 2025. In this study, it was found that the Water Resources Act of 1969, which is currently being used by the country has not clearly set the scene for good water governance. This is despite a number of treaties on water resources management that the country has ratified. However, despite the failure to update the archaic Act of 1969, the country has taken some important strides such as the development of the National Water Policy of 2005. This policy attempts to espouse key governance prerequisites required to improve the country's capacity to deal with the impeding water crisis situation.