Magufuli says Tanzania to open port office in Malawi

Tanzania is set to open a port office in Malawi within the next two months to enable Malawians to deal with port related issues, Tanzanian president John Magufuli when he hosted President Lazarus Chakwera on Wednesday.

“I have directed my minister of transport, Minister Kamwelwe and TPA [Tanzania Ports Authority] to open a TPA office in Lilongwe within a month or two, so that Malawian businesspeople shouldn’t have to come to Tanzania to deal with port issues; they can finish them while at home,” Magufuli said.

During the meeting, Magufuli noted that trade between Tanzania and Malawi has grown from $60 million in 2015 to $81 million in 2019/2020.

“This is a special opportunity that God has given us. We are supposed to move together. We are supposed to consider the best issues of economic development. We have no brothers; we have no fathers. We are supposed to move as Africans. Africa should move on its own. We are supposed to focus according to our environment,” Magufuli said.

He added that the only people that could drive Africans from poverty are the African leaders. 

“That is the only way we can help our continent. Nobody should come and say they are here to solve the problems of our people. We, as leaders, are the ones who are supposed to change the economic development of our countries. And the best way is to move together as one,” he said. 

Chakwera arrived in Tanzania on Wednesday morning for a three-day state visit to boost bilateral ties between the two neighbouring countries.

The Malawi leader has embarked on a tour of neighbouring countries. Tanzania is the fourth country he has visited after Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. 

He met Magufuli who is taking a break from campaigning ahead of elections next month.

But commentators point out that Chakwera is the third head of state to visit Tanzania in less than a month as President Magalufi seeks to show he has strong diplomatic relations with his neighbours.

Chakwera was received by Magufuli in the commercial hub Dar es Salaam and was accorded a state reception. 

“The visit seeks to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries,” Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs and East Africa Cooperation Prof Palamagamba Kabudi said in a statement. 

The two leaders are expected to lay the foundation stone at the Mbezi Luis Bus Terminal on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam. The $22 million bus terminal, which is under construction, will accommodate upcountry and cross-border-bound buses including those to and from Malawi and will have a capacity of handling about 3,430 buses daily. 

Prof Kabudi said the visit by Chakwera follows an invite DMagufuli extended to Malawi after his two-day State visit in April last year when Peter Mutharika was president.