Mutharika inaugurates new Mzuzu-Nkhata Bay road christened ‘APM Highway’
President Peter Mutharika on Tuesday inaugurated the new K22 billion Mzuzu-Nkhata Bay road which the government has since christened Arthur Peter Mutharika (APM) Highway.
Speaking at Masamba Community ground at Mpamba Trading Centre in Traditional Authority (TA) Timbiri in the district, Mutharika hailed the contractor Strabag International for constructing this road he described as “magnificent”.
Mutharika claimed he did not know that the government wanted to name the road after him.
“I am very humbled that you decided to name the road after me, thank you very much, I never expected it. In fact, I wanted to name it after some body else,” he said.
“I will reserve mine for another new road,” Mutharika said.
The 46-km Mzuzu-Nkhata Bay Road starts from Mzuzu City at the court house roundabout and ends at Nkhata Bay Jetty on Lake Malawi.
It is part of the M05 road that runs from Mzuzu through Nkhata Bay, Dwangwa, Nkhotakota, Salima and ends at junction with M01 road at Balaka Market.
Construction works started from July 1, 2016 to June 23, 2018 to the tune of over K16, 7 billion. The financial resources were made up of a loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and financial contributions from the Malawi Government.
AfDB country representative Frank Mvula said the institution attaches great importance to road infrastructure development as it is the driver for economic growth.
Mvula then asked government to ensure that the road is maintained from time to time for durability.
After cutting a ribbon and unveiling a plaque at Mpamba Trading Centre to mark the official opening of the road, the President proceeded to Nkhata Bay Boma to inspect the newly constructed jetty.
The road is part of Mtwara Development Corridor, which links Malawi and Zambia to Mtwara Port in Tanzania on the Indian Ocean through Mbamba Bay and Nkhata Bay on the shores of Lake Malawi.
Meanwhile, the contractor Strabag International has embarked on construction of dual carriage way from the Mzuzu Court House roundabout to Katoto roundabout in the city.
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Whatsoever name that mattersless to us. Your brother changed Midima Road to Mugabe Road. Palibe chikusintha anthu.
We still vote MCP
22B is a lot of money the roads should not look ordinary and who inspects the quality of these roads R424Mil is no small change for 46 Km road. The numbers are mind boggling and no one is asking questions. The road seems too ordinary for the kind of money spent. That should be a multi lane road for that kind of money
The cost of opening the road is enough to rehabilitate a primary school. No need for us to clap hands
How can the name of the road you are going to open be hidden from you. These foolish politicians thinks Malawians as are as foolish as they are. We know how the system works. There is no way people can suggest a name of any structure without contacting government top officials , let alone the President. Ndiye osakana bwanji and insisti on the name you proposed?
We will change that to Mzuzu-Nkhatabay highway in 10 months!
But who is this fool responsible for naming roads?
We are still living in the era of zonse zimene za Kamuzu Banda. I think no structures should be named after politicians when they are still in power. it is not good for Mzuzu-Nkhatabay road to be named after a suspected thief.
Every thing is possible, we had Kamuzu Highway now Chipembere Masauko Highway. Today it is APM Highway next year or it will be Kanyama Chiume Highway or Yatuta Chisiza Highway. Just wait.
i will rehabilitate a road and name it eish Malawi my country
I guess Dr Banda should have named M1 road Kamuzu M1 and Kamuzu Lake shore road.When you upgrade the road between Salima and Nkhotakota what are you going to Name It?
iiiiiiiii anthu onse mwachita comment apa sindikudziwa ngati mumafunila dziko lanu zabwino. guys ndale tisiye apo, pena pake ndibwino kumabvomeleza zabwino zikachitika. anyway ndi ufulu wanunso kulemba zomwe mukufuna, chomwe mungadziwe anthu a chakwera inu ndichakuti, muyezo umene mawayezela anzanu , omwewonso muzayedzeledwa nawo.
OK there is the road. how much was APM’s pocket! za mmanja from the contractors? ????? eeeeeeeeeish
The dream to construct this road started in 2012 with funds from African Development Bank. Thanks to ADB that the road has been done because attempts were made to divert it to another place but ADB said no. Neno
It’s all about politics to feed impoverished illiterate Malawians. There is nothing good about road construction and development in Malawi. The whole country needs reconstruction with modern highways. Q
It buffles my mind to hear a whole president opening a donor – funded two-lane road, producing a semi-thunderous voice of pride as a post utopian performer with eyebrows straightened, showing pride as if the nation is in progress and in transformation mode and yet the GDP per Capita is at its lowest ebb since independence under his glaring aging eyes.
Does anyone have to take pride in inaugurating a two – lane road that belongs to the nineteenth century? It is possible to construct a four-lane highway between Nkhata-Bay and Mzuzu with tunnels challenging the hills that show imposition of the area, but this possibility is challenged by criminal minds of those in authority whose lives focus on kickbacks and deep-rooted corruption.
Peter Mutharika is a subject of a corrupt and criminal mind who offers no solution to problems but envisages personal progress through stealing. He denounces truth but elevates manipulation. The Malawian first citizen has recently not augered well with transparency but instead barked like a mad dog diagnosed with rebbies. He has shamelessly attacked the hand that feeds him (the donors) in order to fend off widespread condemnation of leadership.
I get annoyed when Malawian leaders take pride in meaningless inaugurations that expose lack of self rule. Is there any road that was opened to the public as a symbol of national progress and the country’s wealth? Why does it have to take the ADB or World bank or IMF to fund a simple road that doesn’t require complex planning and implementation? Doesn’t this expose Malawian leaders as liabilities to taxpayers?
I am not happy with the way our nation is being governed because under APM, there is more mediocrity than national pride to develop the country. Roads are substandand but the DPP sees prosperity and quality of craftsmanship which is regrettable. APM is a man under other people’s control – he doesn’t call the shorts, maybe he is too old for the job. Saulos Chilima comes to mind when I see this vacuum.
Malawi needs modern motorways or highways for fast movement of goods and people. The country needs to witness a dualization of highways and roads from Chitipa to Nsanje to attain meaningful development. The Mzuzu – Nkhata-Bay road should not be a yardstick to measure our progress hence the need for ambitious projects that compare with the best in the world. After all, modern road networks are a measure of any country’s progress and modernization.
Well said
Well articulated, the absurdity of glorifying retarded leaders baffles me
Panalibe nsewu, amangapo msewu koma mukukanika kunena kuti “zili bwino?” Anati ndinu a opposition nde kumangotsutsa zilizonse. I think ndinkana dzina lanu ndinu di a Bibi inu, nzeru mulibe.
Such a waste of resources to inaugurate a road. Why don’t you send the Vice President so you could be doing other things to better and lead our country. Just a bunch of thieves mthrfckrs!
Kodi atumbukanu bwanji kodi
I am a Malawian native, not “mtumbuka or Chewa or Yao or any other tribe”. I am a Malawian and don’t agree with our current corrupt leaders and people like you!