Roads Authority digs in over K587bn road contracts after HRDC challenge

The Roads Authority has mounted a robust defence of its decision to award K587.12 billion in contracts for the rehabilitation of the Chiweta-Karonga section of the M1, rejecting suggestions of impropriety and insisting the procurement process was both competitive and compliant with established rules.

The intervention follows concerns raised by the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) on 19 October 2026 over the awarding of the two contracts.

In a response, Roads Authority chief executive Joel Longwe said the winning bidders emerged through a competitive tender process and satisfied all qualification requirements.

According to Longwe, Unik Construction Engineering Limited submitted the lowest evaluated substantially responsive bid for Lot 1, a 53-kilometre stretch between Chiweta and Wovwe Bridge, and has been recommended for a contract worth K326.13 billion.

China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) was similarly recommended for Lot 2, covering the 52-kilometre section from Wovwe Bridge to Karonga, at a cost of K260.99 billion.

Longwe also sought to dispel claims linking CCECC to the controversial Kaunda Road project in Lilongwe, arguing that the contractor involved in that development was a different company altogether.

The Kaunda Road project connects Bingu National Stadium to Chendawaka Junction.

Addressing broader concerns about contractor performance and delays on public infrastructure projects, Longwe said the Roads Authority maintains oversight through contract administration and supervision mechanisms.

Requests for extensions of time, he added, are considered individually and assessed on their merits rather than granted automatically.

The dispute highlights growing scrutiny of major public infrastructure contracts as civil society organisations seek greater transparency and accountability in the allocation of large-scale government projects.

For the Roads Authority, however, the central argument remains that the Chiweta-Karonga procurement was conducted in accordance with the rules and that the selected firms met the standards required for the work.