As Shire river is already failing to sustain energy for Nkula and Tedzani hydropower stations, government plans to spend about K438bn on the Mpatamanga Hydropower project, which relies on the same river. Considering that two hydropower stations are already failing, various entities are wonder if the Mpatamanga project is worth the investment.

With World Bank pledging $200m on the project, the Consumer Association of Malawi (Cama) has said that the Mpatamanga project will be questionable since two projects are not working already. Cama’s Executive Director John Kapito said that low water levels and siltation are problems that the two projects already face, suggesting that the Mpatamanga project should have an alternate water source.

However, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining feel optimistic about the project, counting on the river’s current high water levels. Considering that Nkula and Tedzani are already failing, the investment on the new project may be a waste, but perhaps new and advanced mechanisms will be put in place to combat the issues faced by the prior hydrostations