Japan grants K4.4 billion for Lilongwe’s crumbling roads

The Malawi government and the Government of Japan have signed a grant agreement worth 400 million Japanese yen, about US$2.7 million or K4.4 billion, to supply road rehabilitation equipment to Lilongwe City Council.

The signing took place at the Ministry of Finance headquarters at Capital Hill.

Finance Minister Joseph Mwanamvekha signed for the Malawi government, Japanese Ambassador Naito Yasushi signed for Japan, and JICA Chief Representative Yukinari Tanaka signed a grant agreement.

Mwanamvekha said the deal reflected the close relationship between the two countries and thanked Japan, through JICA, for its support since Malawi’s independence in 1964.

He said the equipment would directly address the council’s road maintenance and rehabilitation problems, and pledged that the council would use it properly.

“The Government will not tolerate any mismanagement or misuse of these public assets,” he said.

He also urged Japan to extend similar support to Blantyre, Zomba and Mzuzu, which he said face shortages of road maintenance equipment, garbage collection vehicles and firefighting equipment.

Mwanamvekha warned against false reports, citing rumours of a kwacha devaluation, and urged the media and public to disregard unverified claims.

Ambassador Naito said Malawi relies on its road network for more than 90 per cent of passenger and freight movement, and called roads “the lifeline of this nation.”

He noted that Japan handed over the Lilongwe Bridge earlier this year and is considering further support for the M1 southbound road, a study of which is under way.

The equipment includes a stabiliser, motor grader, asphalt emulsion tank roller, asphalt finisher, tyre roller, vibratory tandem roller, hand-guided rollers and dump trucks.

Naito said the machinery lets councils recycle old asphalt into a new road base, which halves rehabilitation time, cuts costs and emissions, and extends a road’s life by at least 15 years.

Japan will also run training sessions to transfer technical skills.