HRDC pens council on poor roads condition

The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) Mzimba Chapter has written the M’Mbelwa District Council, challenging it to renovate roads around Mzimba Boma.

In an interview on Thursday, HRDC Mzimba Chapter chairperson Teckson Amadu said most roads around Mzimba are in poor state.

He said: “Mzimba Boma is growing and needs better roads but it is sad that the roads around the town have become impassable.

“For example, the roads to Mzimba Prison, the new stadium under construction, Mzimba District Hospital and Malawi Broadcasting Corporation locations are in bad state.”

In an interview, Chikumbutso Kasalu, a taxi driver at Mzimba Boma, said roads around the town have become hard for drivers.

He said: “There have been many promises by duty-bearers that these roads will be upgraded to tarmac but nothing has happened.

“Now that the rains are here, the roads have become impassable and prone to accidents.”

M’Mbelwa District Council spokesperson Joel Phiri said the council did not allocate or approve any money for roads’ maintenance at the boma in the 2023/24 financial year.

“We will rather make a proposal to the council for its consideration for the 2024/25 financial year. Meanwhile, the council will attend to minor maintenance works that may not consume a lot of money,” he said.

In March 2023, Minister of Transport and Public Works Jacob Hara told a political rally at Mzimba Boma that government was planning to upgrade the roads at Mzimba Boma to tarmac.