Lilongwe City Council, stakeholders fight over substandard road project

Various Stakeholders in the Capital City Lilongwe have ganged up against up grading of Independent Drive Road alleging that the work is substandard and not suitable to be at the foot of the City Centre.

Bikoko: We need proper road
Bikoko: We need proper road
Bisnowaty:  Need for dual carriage
Bisnowaty: Need for dual carriage

Japanese International Corporation Agency (Jaica) gave Malawi Government financial support for a dust free road which should act as an example to other cities. Jaica was to give extra funding to Malawi Government upon being satisfied with the first phase.

Just recently, some councillors held a press conference just within the roadside where they accused Lilongwe City authorities for going ahead with the project and in contrast with City and Town Planning

The development follows a myriad of challenges which has currently rocked the council in terms of its expenditure.

Councillor for Lilongwe Chigoneka Ward, Dr Desmond Bikoko, said: “We are not happy with the construction of this road we are looking ahead of twenty years from now. Our expectation is that we needed dual carriage road and not the single carriage as it is now.”
Another councillor from Tsabango ward, Williams Nguluwe concurred with Bikoko saying the councillors are very disappointed with the project.

Nguluwe said councillors would seek court redress to stop the project as a last option.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Lilongwe City Centre David Bisnowaty has expressed concern over the substandard of work at the project site.

Bisnowaty has since urged the city authority to stop the project and do the dual carriage using contractors who will do the good job.

LCC chief executive Richard Hara refused to comment on the matter saying he was not there during the commissioning of the project. Hara said he has heard about the complaints.

Just recently it was revealed that while Lilongwe City Council is struggling financially, the council is paying K872, 759 for the Mayors vehicle Toyota Prado Registration Number SA 8188, Nyasa Times can reveal.

Nyasa Times  understands that on 22 August, 2014, the Lilongwe City Council signed a contract with the Lilongwe based Real Car Hire Company of Post Office Box 1598,  Lilongwe,  after the company emerged the lowest bidder among four quotations which the Council outsourced.

The City council has already paid out K1, 74558.00 for the month of August and September. According to sources at the Assembly Real Car Hire is charging daily fees of 13,700, on top of that, the council is walloping from the council K130 as millage fees while K3,400 is inserted on the bills as Insurance charges. This if calculated makes a sum of K872, 759.

According to the information gathered, the contract is sealed under the service ID of 087 under the TIPN 30929692.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
36 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
dzina langa
dzina langa
9 years ago

most of the people in offices think like dogs. i hate these statement- ndili mmiting- i am new- i was not there- send me a questionare etc. it shows that most people are not working olo atavala ma necktie. only jumping from one miting to another kenako apite kunja azikanyenga mahule akunja. we need dual carriages in LL

Nobel
Nobel
9 years ago

Check spelling for JICA and not JAICA please

Ndani
9 years ago

What is happening on the Independence drive is a disgrace of the highest order. I support the idea that this project must stop forthwith. Do we have people or cartoons at the Llong we City Assembly?

Chisinsi DM
Chisinsi DM
9 years ago

I wished LCC had a mayor & councellors. I only know mayors for Mzuzu, Zomba & Blantyre.. Also disappointed with LCC Chief Exectuve sanganene kuti samadziwa bcoz he wasnt there when commissioning the road project. Ndiye amati mwina ndi potela ka ndenge ka madam kaja? Wake up LCC folks lolemba mukayambe kupala misewu ku Area 49 opposite new stadium apo bii mubwenza ndalama zanga za development charges. Dont say I didnt warn you!

Vyapasi
Vyapasi
9 years ago

Wait a minute for God’s sakes! When was contract signed? Where were all these councillors? Who were deliberating the Mayors perks? There something here that does add up. Please make noise in the City Chambers just as Parliament does. But do not hold caucuses by the road side.
And this guy, Bikoko, give updates on the projects you promised your constituents?

Gogo Pitala
9 years ago

Go to Lusaka and see what our friends are doing. The president lives here and cannot intervene at all. The only time he went out was when he went to sweep. It does not mean Peter does not know this place. He has been going to Masintha using the same routes. He even took a mini bus going to Likuni and look at what he is doing. Literally nothing and he does not seem to care at all. It is a question of intervening. We need dual carriages in most parts of Lilongwe now.

KANUNKHA
KANUNKHA
9 years ago

I dearly agree with these guys protesting the upgrading of the road. I was there two days ago, actually i was wondering what the government was doing on the road. In my debate, i thought they were just putting a shoulder, later i thought they were introducing a walk way, infact i had no answers to waht they were trying to achive. looking at the road, it connecting to an intersection near the international conference centre. I was like, why does the governement not consider the independent drive be a dual carriage way? why are they wasting the money on… Read more »

jb
jb
9 years ago

Talking about roads in Malawi: we need to introduce REAL HIGHWAYS for long distance travel. Lilongwe and Blantyre should have circular roads (highways) around the city to avoid traffic jams. Lilongwe needs several bridges over Lilongwe river!! The SA President was not joking when he said Johannesburg road network is not some road in Malawi!! Privatize the new road network and allow the operators to collect toll fees.

Singer
Singer
9 years ago

Umphawi ndi ntchimo

wkhotodandaula
wkhotodandaula
9 years ago

Zikomo chifukwa anzanga mwaonanso choncho ntchito yonyasitsitsa ngati imeyi mkumachitika mzaka zino.maslab opotokapotoka komanso ntchito yasasililika mpang’onong’ono pomwe angakhale ine kunyumba kwanga sindingapangitse nyasi ngati ndikuziona ku citycenter. komatu nduna zimadutsa momwemo daily. a Roads Authority nawonso ali pheeee.Kodi Malawi akupita kuti? ku 1970s kapena ku 2015.zonvetsa chisoni mpake zuma kunena zoona abale.

Read previous post:
Nomads GS tells supporters to provide financial support

Mighty Wanderers General Secretary Mike Butao has pleaded with Mighty Wanderers followers not only to back the club through vocal...

Close