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.

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.