Mota Engil to finance Njakwa-Livingstonia-Chitimba Road
The construction of the long neglected 80km Njakwa-Livingstonia-Chitimba Road which will be pre-financed by Mota-Engil to the tune of $80 million will be constructed in three years, Minister of Transport and Public Works Francis Kasaila has said.
Kasaila said government has entered into a public-private partnership which will see Mota-Engil pay the full costs to be recouped over an agreed period of time.
The road will open up the CCAP’s historic mission station at Khondowe Plateau, a stunning tourist attraction which is home to Livingstonia University, Gordon Memorial Hospital and legendary Scottish missionary Robert Laws’ iconic stone house.
“The project will be funded by a contractor whose capacity to deliver a project of this magnitude is beyond a doubt,” said Kasaila.
According to Mota-Engil Public Relations Manager Thomas Chafunya the company “will invest the money and government will pay back at a profit rate within an agreed period.”
President Peter Mutharika kick-started construction of the road after unveiling a groundbreaking ceremony at Mhuju, Rumphi on Saturday.
The road splits the Henga Valley—an agricultural hinterland for tobacco, maize and coffee—on the way to Livingstonia and descends the treacherously mountainous terrain through Golodi Road, a narrow winding road built in 1906 by the early missionaries. It also leads to Kaziwiziwi Coal Mine on Phoka Hills.
Member of Parliament for Rumphi North, Jappie Mhango commended the President for the landmark project.
“For many years, previous administrations had just been singing about this project, but they did not do anything tangible at the end of the day. But in just ten months you had been in government, you have come here with this pleasant surprise,” said Mhango.
Besides Njakwa-Livingstonia- Chitimba Road, government also expressed commitment to implement other road projects like Jenda-Edingeni, Rumphi-Nyika and Mzimba-Eswazini-Kafukule-Ezondweni roads in Northern Region.
APM WOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. DREAM COMES A REALITY.
mwachewa imwe vamubowani matako yabuya wino+wakongo wanyanamwee
Koma Politicians#*??!!!!, How do you assess National or Regional priorities? As much as we understand that Khondowe needs a tarred road, my strong belief, sober and fair assessment….I think the Rumphi -Nyika-Nthalire – Chitipa Road would have been the first. Parliament could not even access information regarding this shoddy deal……..How could it be approved by this president who went to school for nothing! THAT IS WHY WE NEED FEDERATION/FEDERAL GVT, because we would have discussed, known and agreed OURSELVES which road could gives us what and start first? FOOLISH POLITICIANS WHO DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS GOOD FOR THEIR REGION.
Japp Mhango, do not show ignorance. The project has been on the cards a long time ago. Kupusa! This is not a new project.
This is the problem with northerners. Instead of supporting the president on this noble project we are fighting him.
Ignore all these nosenses. Go ahead and build this road. Phoka feeds the whole district when there is famine
Public Private Partnership ? Was this loan approved by the 193 who represent us ?
Good work for the northerners, Word to the goverment we need these road to Choma-Chikwina-Mpamba road and Mzuzu-Nkhata bay
Since when did a construction company become a financier of development projects in Malawi, and is there legitimacy in this undertaking. Clearly this is a loan to the Government of Malawi and not to Peter Mutharika. We therefore wish to demand that the whole process of this deal be within the law, in particular relating to Public Procurement and Approval of State loans. The whole deal smacks of a shady deal between Peter and Mota Engil, wake up Malawians. Why did we not float an international tender for this project for the sake of transparency and value for money. Was… Read more »
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kodi mota engil muli nayo pa mgwirizano wanji? musamakhaletu mukuwaphako amnzathu akudulidwa ziwalozi…what partnership? dpp itigulitsatu ife…