Chakwera assures of Chitipa Ilomba Road project

President Lazarus Chakwera has acknowledged that government is partly to blame for delays in upgrading the Chitipa-Ilomba road which connects Malawi and Tanzania.

He said this on Tuesday in Chitipa when he inspected construction of the 31- kilometre road.

“Some people were claiming that there is no progress on the road. However, such is not the case. Yes, the project has delayed and we acknowledge that government has partly contributed to that,” Chakwera said.

He asked contractors to work hard and follow international standards, saying he will inspect the K34 billion project again at a later date.

Roads Authority chief executive officer Engineer Ammiel Champiti said the Chitipa-Ilomba Road has been designed according to international standards to withstand heavy-duty traffic.

He said contractors have committed to start working on the road.

“Progress has been delayed by a number of challenges, including abnormal rainfall, shortage and erratic fuel supply,” said Champiti.

Chitipa East legislator Kezzie Msukwa (Malawi Congress Party) said government needed to put more pressure on the contractors, saying the project was not progressing as contractors are idle.

“We need this road to be completed according to plan,” he said.

One of the contractors, Patrick Chibvundiko Gondwe assured the President that they will speed up construction work.

The project is divided into three lots with the first given to Victory Vision, Sitbec and Goka joint venture. The second has gone to Hema and Deca construction companies while the third lot went to Tahit and Chibvundiko construction companies.