Malawi Government is failing to pay contractors under the Malawi Rural Electrification Programme phase 9 (Marep 9), a development that has delayed the completion of the phase.
This is despite former president Lazarus Chakwera having switched on one of the sites in September 2024, symbolising that the project was ready to roll out.
However, in a letter dated November 17 2025 addressed to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining Principal Secretary (PS), the contractors said that some sites are yet to be completed due to financial challenges.
The contractors say they are seeking an audience with the ministry officials to amicably resolve the matter, observing that besides the delayed payments, Marep 9 is also facing other challenges such as increase in labour and transport costs as well as shortage of materials.
“Consequently, there has been slow progress during the implementation of the project across the country,” reads the letter in part.
In an interview on Tuesday, one of the contractors who did not want to be named, said eight contractors have multiple sites that are yet to be completed.
“We are using our own resources to work on the projects. We are in a very difficult situation because we do not have adequate resources and at the same time, we need to pay workers. We are fighting with workers over their payments,” he said.
In a separate interview on Tuesday, Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining PS Emmanuel Matapa could not indicate when the payments will be made, but said the ministry is working on expediting payment.
On the plans to complete Marep 9, he said the ministry is targeting to have the phase completed within three months.
“The target is to help people who are supposed to benefit other than just terminating these things because we have delayed. If we do not complete the project, the targeted beneficiaries will not benefit,” said Matapa.
Meanwhile, Civil Society Education Coalition executive director Benedicto Kondowe has urged the government to ensure the projects are completed, noting that Marep 9 is key to connecting schools in rural areas to electricity to promote learning.
Government issued Marep 9 contracts in December 2023 and work was supposed to take eight months.
