Desperate times call for desperate measures as stranded passengers on the M5 in Nkhotakota are forced to pay boat operators to cross rivers whose bridges were washed away by heavy rains.
Since Monday, passengers and motor vehicles have been stranded in the district as the road’s section between Traditional Authority Mwansambo and Dwangwa is impassable.
The washed away sections include Dwangwa, Ling’ona, Kaombe, Nchandilo and Luluzi bridges.
At Ling’ona, passengers who were aboard Mzuzu bound buses spent four nights as of yesterday, hoping for rehabilitation of the damaged sections to proceed with their journeys.
Some stranded road users started paying fishers who suspended catching fish and used their boats to ferry people across at a fee of K3 000.
Maunice Simeon, who was travelling with her two daughters from Lilongwe to Mzuzu, described the situation as bad.
“I have been here for three days. We planned to spend New Year celebration with our families but we failed,” she said.
A bus driver, who opted for anonymity, said yesterday his bus has been stuck for four days with passengers on board.
“We came here on Monday night. This is the fourth day with no hope in sight. We expected a temporary bridge to facilitate travel,” he said.
In its road situation update released on December 30 2025, Roads Authority chief executive officer Engineer Ammiel Champiti assured road users that they had already mobilised China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation to restore connectivity along the M5.
But in its Wednesday evening update, the authority said that works are yet to start on the M5 washed away sections due to limitations caused by unfavourable ground conditions, especially high and widespread water levels.
Meanwhile, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation had started working on some damaged sections to facilitate travel
