Mzuzu City open manholes pose a risk to residents
Mzuzu City Council has expressed concern over open manholes belonging to different service providers around the city, saying they pose a risk to residents and dent the image of the city.
In an interview, the council’s public relations officer McDonald Gondwe said the manholes were part of the city’s infrastructure; hence, the need to be well maintained and covered.
“We appeal to all service providers who own the manholes to ensure people’s safety by covering them so that they are not a risk to people,” he said.
Gondwe said some of the manholes get filled with water, thereby enhancing breeding of mosquitoes.
He also said some residents use such open manholes for dumping litter.
Commenting on the matter, Malawi Telecommunications Limited (MTL) Northern Region networks and customer service manager Bonwith Kaonga said the company’s manholes are always covered.
However, he said most of the manholes without covers were vandalised.
Malawi News Agency spotted a number of manholes in the city which were not covered, some of them belonging to MTL.
Northern Region Water Board (NRWB) spokesperson Edward Nyirenda said the board would soon embark on an exercise to replace covers on all vandalised manholes.
If those responsible for the open manhole were heavily fined, even if it was not their fault, but due to vandalism, they would soon put it right and provide covers that could not be vandalised in the first place, e.g. by fixing them firmly with bolts that cannot easily be removed.
As concerned citizen, if we find an open manhole, let us fill it up with soil. This way, we will proect the road users and also teach the manhole owner to remember to cover their holes.
Not really a sensible suggestion. This approach would actually deter those responsible for the manhole from repairing it.
There a several reasons of open manhole! Often the contractedr didn’t finish the job and manhole is covered partly or is fully open, resulting out of negligence, payment was not enough or because of bribery, instead. Manhole lids are also needed and get stolen by private or commercial households! But most get vandalized through traffic! Either they help as a block under the wheel to prevent vehicles to roll away or as a support for a Jack in muddy soil. Also common breakage through heavy vehicles and plant machinery like graders and no replacement made, often caused by the same… Read more »
Open manholes are found almost in every city, municipal or township in Malawi. In Blantyre there is one along the narrow access road between Atomic Hardware and National Bank building; there is one near MCP Blantyre District Office just along Chileka Road at the Clock Tower; and one along Sanjika Road near the new Industrial Relations Court premises, and this one is huge! Most are a result of vandalism while others are a result of sheer negligence effected by water servicing utilities or telecommunication companies opening them during unprepared maintenance works but failing to replace the covers. Most of these… Read more »