Roads Authority (RA) says it is expediting both emergency and permanent works aimed at addressing the poor state of the country’s roads.
The sentiments by RA chief executive officer Engineer Ammiel Champiti come in the wake of pressure by transporters under Truck Drivers Union of Malawi for government to swiftly work on the state of various roads in the country.
In an interview yesterday, Champiti said currently, they are covering the section between Lilongwe and Ntcheu, where two contractors are working under Dika Construction Company.
Toll Plaza in Ntcheu. | Nation
He said: “If you inspect the road, you will notice big movement on the patching up. We are also working on measurements to do periodic maintenance.”
On the M1 Road from Lilongwe to Chiweta in Rumphi, Champiti said RA is conducting permanent rehabilitation but indicated that they also have contractors patching up where vehicles are still using the old road section.
He explained that they have already awarded to contractors the temporary repairs and permanent works for the M5 Road from Kaphatenga in Salima to Dwangwa in Nkhotakota which, he said, will be handed over this Friday.
On the M5 from Balaka to Salima, Champiti said procurement for emergency works on damaged places and the section from Chiweta to Karonga is are underway.
“We identify with the need to have the roads worked on. We also identify with the delays in getting the repairs done because partly it is on the issue of funding.
“The funding is not only local, but also from development partners. The timelines I am mentioning are the things happening now like on the M5. The procurement is advanced,” he said.
Transporters Association of Malawi, the mother body for truck drivers, yesterday met Vice-President Michael Usi in Lilongwe, to discuss matters around the country’s poor state of roads.
He said the major concern from transporters is that they are incurring high maintenance costs for vehicles damaged by potholed roads.
“We are writing to the Ministry of Transport and expect things to improve after the engagement. We also met the Vice-President who asked us to put the concerns in writing,” he said.
In the 2025/26 National Budget, Roads Fund Administration was allocated a total vote of K261.7 billion where K160.6 billion is the development budget for road infrastructure.
It emerged last month that pothole-riddled and maintenance-starved roads in most parts of the country have forced Minibus Owners Association of Malawi (Moam) to raise fares to compensate for enhanced wear and tear to their vehicles.
Moam general secretary Coaxley Kamange said the conditions of most roads in the country have worsened since the onset of the 2024/25 rainy season, leading to frequent motor vehicle breakdowns.
The upward adjustment in minibus fares came against the background of a Malawi Engineering Institution (MEI) assessment last April calling for action from duty-bearers to ensure roads are safe for users.
The pothole-infested roads include the M1 between Blantyre and Lilongwe, especially the section between Ntcheu and Nanjiri in Lilongwe.
On the M5, sections between Dwambazi and Ngala as well as Dwangwa and Denga in Nkhotakota have deep potholes while the section between Pengapenga and Mwala Oyera in Ntcheu is impassable due to a wash away.
Other roads not passable include Chapananga in Chikwawa after Chapananga Bridge’s back filling was washed away by Cyclone Ana in 2021. The Golomoti-Monkey Bay Road is also not spared as the section between Phanga and Chantulo is completely cut-off.
