Cdedi writes Chilima over road

Centr for Democracy and Economic Development Initiative (Cdedi) has written Vice-President Saulos Chilima to push for speedy identification of a new contractor to complete the Muloza, Mulanje-Drift Sukasanje-Chiringa Road that connects Mulanje and Phalombe.

The road has remained abandoned two years after government discontinued the contract with M.A Kharafi.

Chilima announced the termination of the contract when he inspected the road soon after Tonse Alliance triumphed in the court-sanctioned Fresh Presidential Election in 2020.

The Vice-President further assured the communities along the road that a new contractor would be identified to complete the remaining phase of the project. However, the road was rendered impassable following the devastating impact of Tropical Freddy in March this year.

In the letter signed by Cdedi executive director Sylvester Namiwa and copied to Minister of Transport and Public Works Jacob Hara, the organisation has asked Chilima to visit the road again and appreciate its current status.

Reads the letter in part: “Our fear is that anytime the rainy season will be setting in, and this means that the same areas that were hardest hit by the devastating Cyclone Freddy will be cut off again, and make it difficult for the area to have access to both food and agricultural implements such as fertilisers.”

Cdedi has further asked Chilima to explain to Malawians what happened to the previous contractor and the resources that were earmarked for the project.

In an interview, Namiwa said they specifically wrote the Vice-President because he inspected the road and knows the condition, announced the contract’s termination and also assured the people of a new contractor to complete the project.

Office of the Vice-President spokesperson Pilirani Phiri confirmed receiving the Cdedi letter in an interview yesterday and assured it would get Chilima’s attention.

Besides connecting the two districts, the road connects the rest of the country to an important wetland with a number of irrigation schemes known for high quality rice and beans.