RA upbeat on M5 rehabilitation
Roads Authority (RA) has said it is hopeful the K35 billion rehabilitation of the M5 section between Kaphatenga in Salima and Benga in Nkhotakota will be completed by November 2024.
RA spokesperson Portia Kajanga in an interview yesterday said the contractor, China Road No. 20, has worked on a number of things and started the construction of bridges.
“The contractor has so far worked on mobilisation, clearing, demolition of existing structures and drilling for construction of piles for Navikoko and Lipsyozi bridges,” she said.
Kajanga said the RA is hopeful that the project will meet the November 2024 deadline of the two-year project.
Road Safety Alert Foundation spokesperson Thokozani Chenjezi commended government for committing to rehabilitate the road, saying it will help reduce road accidents as well as the time people take to travel on the road.
However, he said there is need to rehabilitate the whole damaged part of the stretch, saying the road is in a bad condition and already lives have been lost due to its poor state.
In November 2022, Parliament passed the African Development Fund Loan Authorisation Bill which had a component of K63 billion grant and K2 billion loan to finance rehabilitation of the M5.
Parliament also passed a Bill authorising government to borrow $20 million (about K20 billion) from the Opec Fund for the rehabilitation of the road.
