Poor road network affects ecotourism on Zomba Plateau

Zomba Plateau is operating without good road network, a development that forces tourists to cancel their planned visit, or use long routes to reach the mountain’s scenic places.
Some of the attraction sites include Chingwe’s Hole, Chagwa Dam and Emperor’s and Queens’ View.
Zomba Mountain Forest Reserve plantation manager Leonard Kamangadazi said Friday during a stakeholders meeting in Zomba that since the rains stopped this year, the condition of the road network on the plateau is bad due to poor drainage.

He informed various stakeholders who ply their trade on the plateau on the current situation as well as challenges being faced and ways to ensure that the place is well developed and protected.
Kamangadazi said besides road network challenges, the mountain is also exposed to other hitches such as illegal charcoal burning, log trafficking, encroachment, inadequate funds and wildfires that destroy the splendour of the plateau.
“Inadequate funds to upgrade the road network on the plateau are weakening our dream of becoming one of the most leading tourism spots in the country,” he said.
Sunbird Ku Chawe is one of the tourists attraction places on the mountain and its general manager Silvester Mtambo said the plateau is in poor state due to bad roads.
“If all roads are in bad shape, it means that business is also gone and this calls for quick intervention from all stakeholders to partner with government in addressing the situation,” he said.