Soya bean stack claims Mount Meru Millers labourer’s life

Fresh from paying a K4 million fine for putting the lives of its surrounding communities at risk of contracting waterborne diseases, Mount Meru Millers in Malawi has found itself in another tragic incident.

This time, it is about one of its labourers losing his life working and discharging his duties inside the company’s silos.

Dowa Police Station Public Relations Officer, Inspector Gladson M’bumpha, has confirmed that Rashid Kadyandawa died after being hit by a stack of soya beans at Mount Meru Factory, which is along the M1 Road.

M’bumpha said the incident happened on the afternoon of Monday, April 10, 2023, at the factory.

“Kadyandawa was working at Mount Meru Millers Factory as a labourer and at the time of the incident he (Kadyandawa) was working with other labourers at the silos. Unfortunately, soya beans came abundantly and covered Kadyandawa completely,” he said.

M’bumpha said efforts to rescue the labourer proved futile ‘as he was found already dead after being removed from the silos’.

Kadyandawa hailed from Kachule Village in the area of Traditional Authority Kachere in Dedza District.

Mount Meru Millers was recently fined MK4,000,000.00 for discharging untreated wastewater into public waters in contravention of Section 88(1) of the Water Resources Act (2013) by allowing untreated wastewater to discharge from the factory to the environment.

The fine followed the closure of the company by the Malawi Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) over noncompliance with environmental regulations.