Nsanje Port not a priority for Malawi – Chakwera
President Lazarus Chakwera has said the colour dream of former president the late Bingu wa Mutharika—the Nsanje Inland Port—which cost the country $20 million, is not a priority for government right now.
Chakwera made the stand in Parliament on Wednesday when he was responding to members of parliament questions. The President was asked about his government’s plans on the project.
“Nsanje Port is not a priority,” Chakwera said in his upfront response.
He said government plans to rehabilitate the Marka to Mozambique railway line so that it becomes functional again.
The President said talks are underway with Mozambique on the project. The Malawi leader had visited the neighbouring country recently on a State visit.
In an interview with Nyasa Times, Nsanje Central Member of Parliament Francis Kasaila said the port development project is part of government policy because it is included in the Malawi Growth Development Strategy (MDGS).
Sadc, through the African Development Bank (AfDB), in 2011 pumped in US$ 3.5 million (K2.5 billion) into the comprehensive feasibility study on the Shire-Zambezi Waterway project which was initially projected to cut Malawi’s transportation of goods costs to and from the Indian Ocean ports by 40 percent.
The project had also roped in Zambia and Zimbabwe to make it more regional based. The countries adopted the study that gave a green light to the navigability of the two rivers.
Although in 2014 former president Mutharika after attending the 34th Sadc Summit at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe said Sadc had endorsed the project, in April 2016 Mozambique president Felipe Nyusi questioned the viability of the project, saying it was just an ambition by Zambia and Malawi to cut transportation costs, urging the two countries to explore other means.
The issue of the Beira Railway line is a good one, but also pay more attention to the Nacala Railway line which is a shorter one, and was constructed by Malawi government with a loan from South African government If am not mistaking, but is profiting the Mozambican government.
Malawi cant do this on its own if Mozambique doesn’t want to play ball, and currently they don’t want to play ball. So why should Chakwera sit on his hands instead of focusing on doable alternatives?
The issue is not about priority but the sour relationships that MCP developed with Mozambique in their 31 years of rule. Mozambicans still have that bitter memories of that relationship and the issue about the port can’t be accepted
Leadership of black pipo no visition………
And if you are white person, what are you doing on Nyasatimes for black people? eti kuti oziti! munthu waKulimbuli iwe.
This is Chakwera the President i know, insteady of telling Malawians the lies he would as the past Government, here is telling the truth that this Port is far from his Government, now you wonder that the president has spoken the truth, people are complaining, i want to believe that Malawians have the Spirit of believing in lies!
At once can we please change our mindset please please kea kopa! We can not go on like this of believing in lies always, the DPP was in power for 14 years, but they failed to finish this project, now you want some one to finish at the it has to be oh name this Port this and that? Mwauponda, This Government has a lot on its table than this concrete table, Bravo Chakwera, Malawi for all! Ngati mwakwiya, mukwiye zeeedi tsoooo!
Can’t blame the failure of this project on Chakwera, he gave an honest answer in Parliament. If people are so passionate about this project, how come they did not ask the same questions of Peter Mutharika? He had a whole five year term (plus one year injury time), what did he do about the project in that time? The answer is a big fat zilch!
It might be argued that this is a national project, but there’s no denying partisan politics that goes into this line of questioning to put someone on the spot as evidenced by the comments here. That being said, the project was Bungu’s and DPP pet project. Bingu had a vision, whether the feasibility was done properly is another question. But this being his brother’s project, Peter Mutharika should have seen to it that the project is completed. He had the majority in Parliament to move things. But he did nothing, what does that tell us? It is therefore unfair to dump DPP failures on Chakwera. At least Chakwera is answering honestly. Peter did not even avail himself to Parliament to give answers to the MPs about what he was doing(or not doing) about the project.
A Barge not Ship or Vessel with maximum capacity of 60MT (ma truck awiri Basi) is all that can utilised this passage. Mozambique will win/loose nothing. In Malawi, it’s a deadman’s name that will be on very primitive people’s lips.
The project was only used to chew some resources Basi. It’s a very useless project!
By the time his term of office comes to an end he will have nothing to show. Can you imagine, his counterpart this other day was shooting down the idea of having water drilled from the ground and yet the WHO talks highly of the same, mainly to third world and poverty stricken countries like ours. Well, Nsanje port is not a priority; how about the Mombera University whose ground work was instituted by DPP? Chakwera is full of himself and yet he is a disappointing block to his followers. Is he aware that there is a thing like short, medium and long term plans? Possibly these words do not exist in his American vocabulary. It is a shame and painful that his 5 years tenure in office will be a wasted 5 years. Mwinanso Joyce Banda analiko bwino. Izi nde zibwana zeni-zeni.
We are doomed by the short-sighted of this Chakwera. Honestly speaking, as my colleagues above have said, its a long term project and which will eventually benefit us and neighbouring countries. This is how all these countries we see in better economies all began. Look at Suez Canal, it was an ambitious project by Egypt but is big benefit to them. There are so many projects around the world even here in Africa, who have embarked on such projects have successfully done so. In summary, Chakwera is short-sighted.
My friend, for this project to succeed it needs blessings from Mozambique without that nothing will happen. The Zambezi river passes through Mozambique down to the Indian Ocean Mozambique knows that once this becomes this project materializes it will lose revenue it gets when Malawi cargo carriers passes through its territory. Ships carry alot of cargo in tonnage as compared to trucks, Malawi will benifit but Mozambique will lose. Sadc tried had to convince Mozambique to accept this project but it failed. So it’s good to day the truth to the public than tell g lies like the way bingu did and was embarrassed when a boat failed to sail on during that ground breaking ceremony where the late comrade Mugabe was in attendance. Mozambique doesn’t want this project.
A Wise Malawi president should focus on realising the dream of nsanje port. Chakwera 8s wasting a golden opportunity to show his diplomatic skills by negotiating with the Mozambique government.
That stupid Joyce banda (now in bed with tonse alliance) allowed Mozambique to build the railway line from Maputo passing through Malawi to lichinga province, without further negotiation on Malawi’s inland Port. Chakwera better not listen from that she devil.
Chakwera is at the start of his 5 year tenure, if you say he is wasting a golden opportunity, what do you say about the 5 years Peter Mutharika was in government?
What do you want Chakwera to do about Nanje port???. For it to work Mozambique has to grant us access to the Zambezi river first which they have totally refused
There is no railway line from Maputo passing through Malawi to Lichinga. Check before posting.
if that is the case which I think it is. why would Mozambique support the rail project? They are happy having hundreds of Malawian trucks paying them daily. They are not being neighbourly. Malawi needs to find a way of putting rail up north and discuss With Tanzania if they can link with their so that we have options
Mozambique will not lose. Passing through zambeze in Mozambican territory, Malawi will still pay the fees they pay when using Beira corridor. In addition Mozambique has also a good stretch of Shire river in her territory. The main issue that makes Mozambique to shun this project is about the environmental impact.
True
Whether Chakwera makes it priority or not if Mozambique maintain their NO, nothing can be done, that is why Peter Mutharika did nothing.
Suez Canal was all in EGYPT one country, Nsanje port involves 2 countries.
And myopic
Malawians were not told the truth. In fact as far our history is concerned we have never enjoyed freedom of accessing right and correct information from our leaders. Happy days now that we have a very good president. Now hear this! Mozambique never supported the development of that port in the first place. That is why their president dodged Bingu wa Mutharika full time. In fact at one point Bingu, while at Nsanje Port had to embarrassingly wait for his counterpart for hours and appearance of the trial ship only to hear that Mozambican authorities had arrested one military officer who was apparently was on a mission to accompany the ship. This was humiliating to Bingu who had waited all day long as he braved the ruthless scorching heat of Nsanje. He was in company of other heads of state from Zimbabwe and Zambia so they comforted him. But deep down their hearts, they knew their fellow had completely gone out of their minds. How? because technically, environmental specialist from Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe had already ruled the viability of the project. All this was a sign that our negotiations with our neighbour had not succeeded. Come Peter Mutharika in 2014, did he do anything? Not at all! that again should inform any learned or unlearned Malawian that things had not worked on our side. In fact the new president, Nyusi has openly told Malawi to think of other means as the port issue is a non starter. Now Chakwera does not want to cheat Malawians, saying Nsanje Port is not a priority. It’s that simple. He has even mentioned alternatives. He has said he will reconnect Blantyre with Beira through a rail line. In fact that rail line will bring a lot of benefits to people of Nsanje, Bangula, Makhanga, Thekerani, Luchenza, Limbe etc. What is that then you should not like about this? Now I hear Chakwera this, Chakwera that …better we had Chilima etc… Guys, No single politician should cheat you that Nsanje port project will work. No one! From the engineering perspective, yes it would work but economically and environmentally not a viable option. Talk of high levels of siltation, insecurity, seasonal disturbance due to high flood levels etc. Again the waters in Beira along the Zambezi river are so shallow meaning periodic dredging would be unavoidable. At the same the shallow water are very good breeding ground for fish and prawns – for that reason alone Mozambicans do not want to see any disturbance such as oil leaks from the ships to Nsanje Port. Please note that any silly mistake with environmental flaws would be costing Malawi billions of dollars in form of penalties and environmental rehabilitations. Simply not worth it. Bola kuzitaya.
well put boss
What are you saying. This kind of misinformation is very strange. Isnt it obvious that the only reason Mozambique will decline being party to this necessary project is that once finalized and functional, they stand to lose out interms of revenue as a significant proportion of our imports comes through their borders. The environmental stuff are just exaggerated and the impact assessment conducted was favourable to give a green light to proceed with the project.
Mozambique will not lose any revenue, the imports will still come through Mozambique border. It is road transporters who will lose out.
Well explained bos
I am going to buy the port. It will make a grand swimming pool – if I manage to chase the crocodiles!
Chitsilu. Saulosi should have been president not this fool. There are short term and long term goals. We need this port as a country. It’s a must, not even an option.
hahahahahahaha zako izo, ife tikufuna zinthu za phindu, dpp you have been in Government almost 14 years that including the time of Bingu,why didnt you finished the project? mwagwa nayo. zinthu zokopangila kufuna kutchuka basi, lats time you said eni ake athumba ndi DPP now lero eni ake athumba ndi Tonse Alliance. Cadet walira chokweza. Doko Doko Doko Doko doko! kamangenipo nyumba. ziyanikanipo Makakana!
Very true. The project was completed in Bingu’s time, Joyce Banda’s tenure was short, what did Peter Mutharika do about the port in his 5+ years in power? I bet in those 5+ years he never even said the words ‘Nsanje inland port!’
If we see many of development structures that have changed the face of Mslawi, our three cities, including the districts it’s because of DPP government unless one has just arrived in Malawi and doesn’t have a history of this country. DPP is placed on # 1 in structure development in this country.
You were supposed to remind your former president Peter to finish the project. You and your clueless president had more time in power. You were busy looting the treasury and dividing our people instead of finishing the project. Mwagwa nayo
This man is an idiot. What else can you expect. We are doomed as a country. This is supposed to be a long term project for us as a nation as we aim to reduce import and export costs koma chimbulichi chikukamba zosaphya. Kuba basi. We goofed as a country choosing this dunderhead
You didn’t goof dude. You even didn’t vote for him. He has his own priorities. You can go and hang with your hateful speech
We don’t him to have his family priorities but that of malawians. The waste president malawians have ever had. Nrikutha kuona titamuchotsa nrikuika chilima kuti atsirizitse termyi, zachibwana ndi president ameneyo zschuluks. He is always out of his senses each time he speaks.
The top standard idiot is you and your whole family!
Dunderhead ndi iweyo because you think like an IDIOT 🔌💡