Malawi pursues airport projects: New Chileka and Mzuzu

Minister of Transport and Public Works Francis Kasaila said government will be developing a new Chileka International Airport in the commercial capital, Blantyre and construct a new airport in the northern city of Mzuzu.

Mzuzu Airport
Mzuzu Airport

Blantyre-Chileka airport is currently lacking modern infrastructure in line with advancement in aviation technologies.

Chileka Airport in Blantyre, Malawi
Chileka Airport in Blantyre, Malawi

Kasaila told parliament that the new Chileka International Airport will be constructed at the same site.

“That is what we intend to do. As I said previously, it has just been a proposal; it has not been approved. We are making a proposal that we can improve on that airport. It is an international airport, and it is quite important,” said Kasaila.

He added: “The rehabilitation that is going on at Chileka now, for those people that are using our airports, may have seen that it is the old building that we are rehabilitating in order to accommodate the current traffic. There is a lot of congestion, and so far, we have completed rehabilitating the ground floor of the building. A contractor is working on the upper floor. The ground floor will be open to traffic in order to create more space for our travelling passengers.”

For the acquisition of airport navigation equipment, modernisation and fire fighting, the minister said: “What happens in this sector is that, if you want equipment, they manufacture on your specifications, and you have to pay in advance. But you cannot pay the entire cost at one goal.

“So, we have been paying for that so that they manufacture and that is the reason why every year they come because of the resource envelope. Otherwise, our main hope is the bill which was referred to the Committee that if we have those resources, most of these things, in our airports, will be taken care of.”

Chileka is the country’s oldest international Airport handling both domestic and international airline operators.

Kasaila also said plans are underway to construct a new airport in Mzuzu, saying some four years ago, Mzuzu Airport was given some resources but the land that was identified, after surveys were done, money spent on, was encroached.

“The resources that were made available for that airport were wasted. We assure you that we are working very hard, we know the problem and we will continue working very hard to make sure that this airport is given the attention,” said Kasaila.

Mzuzu airport is also the only airport serving the northern city of Mzuzu, and there were concerns over the condition of the airport following an accident in which an aircraft from the capital, Lilongwe, which was carrying the country’s the then second vice-president late Chakufwa Chihana and seven other passengers, swerved off the airport runway into a main road. It hit a minibus, killing one passenger and injuring several others.

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mtima wa nyani
mtima wa nyani
8 years ago

pa lilongwe carpet yoyala ngati cipepala coyalapo usipa nthambo mbwee, masiku ano pali scanner ati opelekeza osalowa koma amwenye nda azungu amalowa mu lounge shame, ku cimbudzi tank topanda covindikila , no tishu, nchenche, airport fee yose ija inapita kuti? inteneshono airport -shame. lestant mmwamba anthu kuudya kusowa kokanya akufunda mmimba no tishu, tose sa asilamu.- soletu.
koma kupanda manyazi- ndiyesa ku VIP KULI MA TOILET A GOLIDE ,NDI 45 STAR SERVICE. YEBO NASILA

martha
martha
8 years ago

honestly, even mzuni had encrouchers on a number of its properties and it paid them all off. zomwe akunena a minister apazi ndizopusa and its just an excuse for the cash gate that has occurred. what we need are not renovations. we need new and modern airports in all of the three regions. even zomba if u ask me. bola lathu is bad at prioritizing things. tikanayamba ndi stabilization of water and power supply, then ma airport wo (new and modern) , then water, rail and road transportation infrastructure and then focus more on tourism and industrial development. Nthawi yonseyi… Read more »

jonathan yollam
8 years ago

the malawi government like corruption of funds that is just a song they will not do that.

Mdicai Longwe
Mdicai Longwe
8 years ago

I am a Fire Fighter and graduated from School of Aviation as a Fire Officer in February, 2002. I was deployed to Mzuzu Airport. By the time Cessina 208 (NYIKA) which crashed with the Late Chakufwa Tom Chihana and Madam Christina Chihana and the 7 passengers, I was the duty officer of the day. By that time the Muluzi adminisration promised to construct a new airport in Mzuzu. The project was funded but not even a single stone/brick was laid to show the kick start of the said project. It is a song which governments will come and go and… Read more »

Hussein Max
Hussein Max
8 years ago

Sad 50 years after independence Malawi has no airport to talk about. I remember a friend asking me when we landed at KIA. ” How long before we reach the main airport?” he probably thought we were stopping over at some district terminal before final landing at the main airport. I was embarrassed and just kept quiet.

just concerned
8 years ago

airport ya ku mzuzu is very close to main road no wonder wa dada chakufwa na matawa wawo wala wakatela mu thala, ki ki ki ki

mwahana
8 years ago

If land was encroached just remove the encroacher!!!! Is there another problem???

Malibwe
8 years ago

Mzuzu ndiye mungotaya nthawi and resources. Anazolowera kuyenda pansi amenewo. Ndalamazo zipite ku Nsanje inland Port.

Rich nduna
Rich nduna
8 years ago

Ma simbweni simuzatheka…akufuna akupangireni,mukulimbana ndi dpp..munava ku thyolo kuli bwalo la ndege..shupit!!

Chindere wa Chindere
Chindere wa Chindere
8 years ago

Mzuzu, Airport, Departure and Arrival lounge, is in a bottle store! Eeeeeshe. With man’gina in a tent behind this bottle store …….and calling it airport is a very big insult.!

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