Construction of Mzuzu University (Mzuni) library complex continues to face glitches with authorities indicating that the contractor wants the cost to be hiked from K27 billion to K33 billion.
The government embarked on the construction of the Mzuni Library, auditorium and associated works in 2020 at an initial cost of K7 billion before it was revised to K27 billion as at December 2025.
But the project has failed to meet deadlines and incurred additional costs, with authorities attributing this to underlying contractual issues with the contractor, China State Construction Engineering Limited
In an interview last week, Mzuni Vice-Chancellor Professor Wales Singini said the contractor insists that the cost be pegged at K33 billion before resuming civil works.
He said: “The contractor was claiming that for him to complete that library project, 100 percent of the K33 billion quota is required, and in the process, the team which was organised comprising Mzuni, Ministry of Finance and Construction Industry Regulatory Authority [Cira] felt that we needed to have an independent opinion on the costs moving forward.
“So, we engaged an independent quantity surveyor who estimated that for us to complete that library we will require K29 billion and that it would include furniture and books.”
He said the contractor boycotted signing the new resolution during the October 5 meeting but pledged to revert on October 12. Singini said the date has lapsed and the resolution remains unsigned.
Singini said the contractor has already received K2 billion for Interim Payment Certificate (IPC) 15 following a scrutiny by Mzuni technical team.
His comment follows his June announcement that they contacted the contractor to immediately resume the work, having cleared the contractual woes and banking on the K5 billion funding allocation for the project in the current fiscal year.
Minister of Education, Science and Technology Bright Msaka said in an interview yesterday that the government prioritizes funding projects based on fair pricing.
“I am aware of the matter. We don’t pay the contractor just because money is available. We pay for the projects when the price is fair,” he said.
On his part, Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Public Infrastructure chairperson Dumisani Lindani said they will probe the matter.
Earlier, Cira spokeperson Lyford Gideon said financing delays negate the principles of good project management.
Public finance management specialist Dalitso Kubalasa said the costs will escalate due to inflation, currency depreciation, contract variation orders and essentially, the whole scope will either shrink or become unaffordable.
Fire gutted Mzuzu Library on December 18 2015, destroying over 45 000 books, journals, computers, furniture and fittings, among others.
