Marep contractors ready—Matola
Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola has told Parliament that contractors for Malawi Rural Electrification Programme (Marep) Phase 9 will be on the ground next week.
Responding to questions from members of Parliament (MPs) yesterday as to when Marep 9 will be rolled out, the minister said the ministry has engaged contractors and soon the programme will roll out.
Matola said the contractors are expected to be in their respective sites by next week.
He said: “Indeed we have been promising and talking but action will be done, not very long.
“I would like to assure the entire House that Marep 9 will start soon as they saw the adverts of intention to award contractors who are going to construct the power lines in the trading centres which were earmarked Marep 9.”
Mangochi Malombe MP Misolo Kapichila expressed frustration that the country has been talking about Marep 9 for a long time without any action.
“We have been talking about this Marep 9 since 2021, 2022 and now we are in 2023. When is Marep 9 exactly going to commence? I don’t want to ask many questions,” he said.
Marep 9 is key to promoting access to electricity. Currently, rural electrification stands at 4.2 percent but the government plans to increase to 30 percent by 2030 through the grid and to 100 percent universally. The universal access includes the grid and other alternatives such as solar.
