Mutharika touts plans to make Malawi an air-linked country

President Peter Mutharika has underscored his government’s plans to transform Malawi from a land-locked country to an air-linked one.

Mutharika said this will be achieved through rehabilitation of the existing airports such as Chileka and Kamuzu International Airport and construction of new ones in Mzuzu, Mangochi and other places.

President Mutharika disclosed this during an audience with Dr. Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu, President of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) at Chikoko Bay in Mangochi today.

“My Government is committed to the aviation industry. We are already upgrading the airports in Mzuzu, Blantyre and expanding the Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe.

“We want to get connected to the world. We want to turn Malawi from being a land-locked country to an air-linked country,” said Mutharika.

He said Malawi is also making sure that it continues complying with the Standards and Recommended Practices of ICAO.

The President disclosed a number of measures his government is undertaking to improve the aviation industry in the country in keeping with international standards.

These include developing a Corrective Active Plan aimed at resolving previous audit findings for the Malawi aviation industry, review of Specific Operating Regulations and development and issuance of technical guidance material for safety oversight inspectors and the industry.

The Mutharika administration has also reviewed the Primary Aviation Legislation and it will be tabled in the coming June Parliamentary sitting.

“Mr. President, Malawi Government decided to establish an autonomous Civil Aviation Authority to regulate the aviation sector. Draft legislation is already before Parliament and we will ensure it is passed soon….
a lot has been done. And we are committed to do more. But we need your support,” Mutharika said.

For Mangochi district in particular, Professor Mutharika said his government is planning to construct a state of the art airport as part of government programmes to turn Mangochi into a city.

“Mangochi is a potential great city. This district is beautiful, and it is already a serious tourist destination,” he said.

Mutharika indicated the airport would be a window towards boosting tourism on Lake Malawi.

“Lake Malawi is a unique tourist destination in the world. This lake has the most beautiful and greatest number of species of fish in the world. And along this Lake, we have some of the most beautiful sceneries of Africa. What we now need is state of the art airport for us to open Lake Malawi to the rest of the world,” he said.

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