Malawi Government issues contract stop orders against Mota Engil Africa

Malawi Government through the National Construction Industry Council (NCIC) has issued a contract stop order against Portuguese owned Mota Engil Africa following revelations the company violated presidential orders by not awarding 30 percent of the project cost to local contractors.

President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, a couple of months ago, ordered that all international bidders should allocate 30 percent to local contractors when accorded an opportunity to manage projects as a way of developing and enhancing local capacity to undertake maintenance works when the international companies have disappeared from the scene.

Manuel Mota, Chief Executive Officer of Mota-Engil Africa

However, it was observed that when the company was awarded a contract to construct Ruo Bridge, Mota Engil Africa did not award 30 percent of the project to local contractors.

This prompted a local civil society organised called Centre for Mindset Change (CMC) to blow the whistle on the matter and threatened court action if action was not taken.

CMC Executive Director Phillip Kamangira said he was excited with the action NCIC had taken against the company.

“CMC commends NCIC for taking steps to fight the injustice that has been there for many years. The work done is commendable and this is why we as CMC questioned the rationale for the Ministry of Transport and Public Works in its decision to provide the Marka-Bangula Railway Section to Mota Engil without considering such provisions. We are happy that the Chakwera leadership is geared to fight the injustice and corruption that has rooted so deep in this country,” said Kamangira.

He assured that his organization will support NCIC in its “noble cause and we implore upon every Malawian to take a step in the fight against corruption.”

Mota Engil Africa is embroidered in numerous corrupt scandals in Malawi including underbidding only to hike the prices into billions through contract variations, sources alleage.

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Gijo
Gijo
2 years ago

This action is long overdue at some point we felt hopeless in a promising environment

kamanga
2 years ago

Khani si imeneyi koma kuti bomali ndi la katangale akufuna azipereka kwa ma company omwe aziwapasa kangachepe nanga azindya chani.
Fertilizer apeleka kwa anthu oti sakuziwa ngakhale kogula fertilizeryo chifukwa cha ndale ati k27000 thumba koma kokaoda ndi k33000/bag.

Edmund Hami
Edmund Hami
2 years ago

Over politicizing projects project will make Tonse government fail to fast track projects in this country. We are lagging behind on infrastructure this is not yet the time to do this well intended capacity building. We need to put down correct procedures how this can be achieved rather that stopping progress if good projects Malawi can not be forced to do business honestly they simply do not want to do business. Take any Malawian awarded project project you will see they are struggling in Mzuzu Zolozolo Luwing road, as an example progress only when they hear is visiting Mzuzu and… Read more »

Miguel Ángel
Miguel Ángel
2 years ago

Malawi government should show some respect for a company that make so much for this country and for the Malawian people.

jcInLA
jcInLA
2 years ago
Reply to  Miguel Ángel

No…I think Mota Evil must show some respect to Malawians. It has been using Malawi as its bank account at our expense. No more.

Khan mani!!
Khan mani!!
2 years ago
Reply to  Miguel Ángel

Respect? For substandard over priced roads ? They are a leech , parasite on a small country barely with means. They deserve ridicule and contempt.

Zimwanda
Zimwanda
2 years ago
Reply to  Miguel Ángel

Which respect Mr. Kadeti

Mos
Mos
2 years ago
Reply to  Miguel Ángel

That’s the dumbest thing I have ever heard in my life

Jima
Jima
2 years ago

This issue is political, the problem with malawian contractors is, they do work in a short cut ways and in the end the work is not well done and don’t last long has it should be but there invoices are in huge sums of money, and that’s we’re corruption begins. They start bribing the inspectors to certify their payments.

zapadziko
zapadziko
2 years ago
Reply to  Jima

Ndiye za nthawi ya DPP zimenezo, khalani phee muone. DPP was giving contracts kwa awoo ndiye ndi zimene mumaonazo.Things have to cchange

TWO WORLD order
TWO WORLD order
2 years ago

First and foremost where are All the POLYTECHNIC CIVIL ENGINEERING GRADUATES, I have seen them just patching up potholes on roads and they seem proud of that instead of forming up a a joint enterprise and SIMPLY hire equipment for PVHO and do our roads, . We want our own engineering companies to do these jobs. Engineering department at poly has been churning out guys who are always playing second fiddle to foreign companies EVEN AFTER ALL THE EXPOSURE from. ALSTALD, GROUP Five. Mota Engil etc. Please let’s take a leaf from China. CHINESE do their own construction Using own… Read more »

Mboba
Mboba
2 years ago

Our poly engineers are busy with wheel barrows parching potholes on roads … Their work is seriously substandard…..

Mulopwana
Mulopwana
2 years ago

What r u doing ursef that can be noted as influential. Construction is flooded with business pipo and its no longer viable for experts due to unbutton of rates by business pipo. I wud not put my money in that. I qud rather go other intervention.

Rabbi Nyirenda
Rabbi Nyirenda
2 years ago

Deal with Mota Engil. They must respect our land and it’s people and laws.

Zimwanda
Zimwanda
2 years ago
Reply to  Rabbi Nyirenda

Mota-Engil is another wing of Cadets from international corridors

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