By Wezzie Gausi:
The Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) has urged the government to take urgent action in strengthening regulations across Lake Malawi and other water bodies following a worrying trend of fatal drowning incidents.
In a statement released Tuesday, MHEN Executive Director George Jobe expressed concern over the increasing number of lives lost due to unsafe water transport.
He said the pattern reflects systemic failures in policy enforcement and safety compliance.
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“Water transport safety is both a public health and human rights issue,” Jobe said.
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“[Therefore] preventing avoidable drownings must be treated as a matter of national priority and urgency,” he added.
Jobe urged the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, the Marine Department and the Malawi Police Service to tighten supervision, register all boats and enforce passenger capacity limits.
He also called for the removal of import duties on life jackets to make them affordable, the establishment of certified training for boat operators and increased marine safety patrols during festive periods.
In support of MHEN’s position, Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) Executive Director Michael Kaiyatsa said cases of death on the lake pointed to the government’s failure to protect citizens’ right to life.
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“These tragedies are preventable,” Kaiyatsa said.
Kaiyatsa added that the government must act decisively to enforce boat registration, penalise unsafe operators and support awareness campaigns to educate community members on water safety.
“What is lacking is consistent enforcement, political will and accountability. Every life lost on the lake represents a failure of duty by those responsible for ensuring public safety,” Kaiyatsa said.
