Rumphi chiefs demand action on Njakwa Road
Some chiefs in Rumphi have petitioned government for delays to complete the 80-kilometre Njakwa-Livingstonia-Chitimba Road, whose upgrading to bitumen standard was kick-started in March 2015 by former president Peter Mutharika.
In their petition to Ministry of Transport and Public Works, the chiefs accuse the ministry of ignoring their three invitations, to discuss the project’s way forward, sent since July 2021 through the Phoka-Henga Forum for Development.
Dated October 25 2021, the petition has been signed by 15 traditional leaders under the banner “United Traditional Chiefs, Rumphi District”.
The traditional leaders comprise a senior chief, a sub-traditional authority, principal group village heads, senior group village heads and group village heads.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Senior Chief Mwankhunikira confirmed being part of the traditional leaders who have raised concerns on the neglected road which was pre-financed by Mota-Engil Construction Company Limited to the tune of $80 million.
The chiefs observe that the road project was long overdue after passing the 2018 completion deadline and people around the area are losing hope of ever seeing a tarmac road as per government’s promise during the launch of the project.
The aggrieved chiefs claim Vice-President Saulos Chilima announced in May 2021, during a rally he held at Rumphi Boma, that President Lazarus Chakwera would open the road come November 2021.
“The announcement now appears almost impossible to materialise. The United Traditional Chiefs now invite you to come to the site meeting and hear our grievances for you to address them,” reads the petition in part.
The chiefs want the meeting to take place mid this month at Lukali Primary School, six kilometres north of Njakwa Bridge.
“We are pleading with you not to ignore this invitation again; otherwise, it is already becoming difficult to control people’s patience and it could be out of control if nothing is done on the road sites,” further reads the petition.
In an interview yesterday, Deputy Minister of Transport and Public Works Nancy Chaola Mdooko confirmed receiving the petition but indicated that it would be difficult to attend the site meeting on the stated date because of parliamentary engagements.
She said: “So the ministry has responded to them and asked them to find another date, possibly in December after Parliament sitting. But we will go and meet the chiefs.”
Among others, the petition has been copied to the Roads Authority, Rumphi district commissioner, the district’s members of Parliament and acting Paramount Chief Chikulamayembe.
