KIA-Mzimba road rehabilitation commences next month, others in progress, part of government’s economic recovery drive
The long-awaited rehabilitation of the M1 Road from Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) junction to Mzimba Turnoff, covering a distance of 301 km, will commence next month, September, 2021, according to the Roads Authority. There has been widespread outcry over its dilapidation, with many saying it is a death trap following rising cases of car accidents.
This is one of the strategic roads, which the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Government has earmarked for rehabilitation in the 2021/22 financial year. The project is expected cost about K150 billion. Rehabilitation works have been divided into three phases—KIA to Kasungu, 102 km, Kasungu to Jenda, 85.5 km, and Jenda to Mzimba Turnoff, 46.5 km. This project is under procurement and works are expected to commence in September 2021.
President Lazarus Chakwera has said his administration will completely revamp the country’s road network, realizing that road transport is one of the chief contributors to rapid and genuine social and economic development. President Chakwera’s administration has now gone full throttle upgrading strategic roads across that country, commenced construction of new roads as well as completing road projects started during the previous government.
President Chakwera personally believes that the key role of road transport is to provide and improve access to different places for businesses and individuals, for goods and personal movement. For businesses, it is about connections between businesses and their suppliers, between businesses and other businesses, and between businesses and their markets.
Road transport provides people with access to workplaces, schools and shops. It connects them to social, recreational and health facilities, for personal and leisure activities.
The Chakwera administration is also set to rehabilitate, in the current financial year, the Nsipe – Liwonde Road to the tune of K33.14 billion, construction of a Dual Carriageway of the Crossroads – Kanengo with funding from the Chinese Government to the tune of K20.09 billion, and construction of Dual Carriageway of the M001 (junction with Paul Kagame – junction with Lali Lubani) including the new Lilongwe Bridge, funded by the Japanese Government to the tune of MWK24.105 billion.
Other roads earmarked for upgrading in the current financial year include the 45 km Nsanama – Nayuchi, Neno – Mwanza, Ntchisi – Malomo, Chikwawa-Chapananga, Kapiri – Mkanda, Monkey Bay – Cape of Maclear, and Blantyre Bypass. Work has already started on some of these roads while works will commence soon on the others.
Several road projects that are underway and will be completed this year. They include the Lirangwe – Chingale road, Thyolo-Thekerani-Makhanga, Rumphi – Nyika, Njakwa – Livingstonia, Jenda-Edingeni, Nsanje – Marka, Mzimba-Ezondweni – Njakwa, Msulira-Nkhotakota, dual carriageway of the Lilongwe City West Bypass Phase 2 from Gateway Mall to Area 25 up to Kanengo on M1, dual carriageway from the Kaunda Road/Mchinji Road Junction to Chendawaka/Kaunda Junction at Area 25 up to M1/Chendawaka Junction at Kanengo, Chiringa – Muloza, and Ntcheu – Tsangano, among others.
Government will soon rehabilitate, upgrade and construct other roads, including the Dzaleka – Ntchisi – Mpalo – Malomo, Ntcheu – Tsangano – Neno – Mwanza, Rumphi- Nyika- Nthalire- Chitipa, Jenda – Edingeni – Engalaweni – Manyamula – Mzimba, Chikwawa – Chapananga – Mwanza, and Lirangwe – Chingale – Namatunu – Machinga.
The Chakwera administration is committed to building, maintaining and ensuring efficient utilization of the road infrastructure and other services appropriate to meet the current and future development needs of the economy.
This drive includes helping the people in the rural areas to gain access to income generating activities, such as agricultural activities and to social services such as hospitals, schools, among others by providing reliable and durable roads and bridges; thus facilitating the continued development of the country’s rural areas through increased agricultural production, the mainstay of the country’s economy.
Disclaimer: The author is the Government Director of Information and writes in his own capacity.
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I don’t believe in talking but Action
Let us and see the truth because the MPOTO construction is always a mess.For your information,just a road from NJAKWA to the Famous Livingstonia Road (MUMBWE),has not been touched since NYASALAND was invaded by white people from England.Of the only three Provinces,the NORTH has been forsaken by leaders from Central and South the reason being is not part of MALAWI EVENTHOUGH we are told that YOUR SO-CALLED NGWAZI attended School at MUMBWE hereinafter,Livingstonia.It is bloody-pity that North is regarded by the so-called leaders as not part of Nyasaland/Malawi.When people enter Malawi from the both South and Central,they are astonished to… Read more »
Where is the dilapidated M1 escarpment section Chiweta – Jalawe – Bwengu?
It good they complete the previous govt plans, then iwo abwere ndiawo.
The distance of 301 kms KIA turnoff to Mzimba turnoff is not true
Maybe its a way of skining us alive
301 km will take u past Lusangazi Mzuzu
Government Director of information should know better not to call this government as MCP government. It is a Tonse Government.
Tivomeleze kuti tikungopitiriza pamene aja anasiyira, Zabwino ndithu, but cost of living is very high please consider this, coz we are working very hard but earnings are not matching our labour, the Kwacha purchasing power is going down so this is the Genesis of poverty, so take note ma Big athu
The Nyasatimes crew. Who is approving Chikumbutso Ntumodzi’s posts on this platform. Can he go and post his lies on state owned Nation Newspaper, Zodiak Newspaper and Times Newspapers. We don’t need his lies here. You the Nyasatimes is the only newspaper which we Malawians can trust as of now, so don’t allow useless posts to be posted here
Kagwere Uko iwe ukadeti ngopusa nawo
Concerned citizen
I don’t see anything wrong in us concerned citizens getting to know what the government is doing. We must grow beyond negative news. We must grow beyond being partisan. We are simply getting updates on how our money is being used by Dr Chakwera. Or should we only hear on how some irresponsible individuals are misusing our tax?
After all, Sir Mtumodzi has the same right that you and me have, to write on this platform. And that is called FREEDOM of a concerned citizen
All these roads are continuing off projects that were put in the pipeline by previous administration and were at various stages from design, financing and in progress.
It is good the Tonse administration is continuing them.
It is commendable that government is continuing these projects but Chikumbutso Mtumodzi should have a courtesy to acknowledge that these are projects that DPP Government initiated from designing,financing and its procurement processes,The Tonse government under Lazarus Chakwera to this date have not done any tangible project,I will ask Chikumbutso to pressurize his boss to bring something tangible to Malawian than dancing to DPP’s projects upon us,thus mediocrity and absurd.
It put in place by Malawians money not previous government money so no big deal as if it was their money.
We are on the right path
That is what we Malawians want; development.And more development