Traditional Authority Kameme of Chitipa District has expressed concern with the delay to complete construction of the 31-kilometre Chitipa-Ilomba Road whose works began in 2022.
The K34 billion project was given to three contractors to expedite its rehabilitation which was initially set for 18 months.
However, three years down the line, the road is far from completion.
T/A Kameme said in an interview on Saturday that the delay has crippled passenger vehicle services, movement of cross-border goods and farm produce.
He said: “The economic significance of this road cannot be overemphasised. The road connects Malawi and Tanzania, making it significant to the country’s socio-economic development.
“Therefore, the delay to finish it on time has negatively impacted both traders and government in terms of revenue collection.”
Chitipa North legislator Fales Mpoha Moyo (independent) said the stalled project has affected mobility of goods, farm inputs and produce to reliable markets.
While bemoaning the delay, Chitipa District Civil Society Organisations Network chairperson Patrick Ziba expressed optimism that the current Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration will finish the project.
He said: “The delay has a negative impact because the road links Malawi to Tanzania where most people do cross-border business. So the delay is a lost opportunity for revenue collection.
“Again, patients from health centres around Kameme going to Chitipa District Hospital are affected.”
In a separate interview, Minister of Transport and Public Works Jappie Mhango assured the people of Chitipa that the DPP administration will complete the project.
“The plan to construct that road was hatched by the DPP. However, the immediate past government [Malawi Congress Party] did very little on this road. Therefore, let me assure people of Chitipa that this government [DPP] is committed to ensuring the timely completion of this road to facilitate easy mobility,” he said
