Simbi’s Khato Holdings to transform Lilongwe skyline with 14-storey office complex

Conglomerate construction and engineering giant, Khato Holdings, says it plans to construct a modern office and shop complex at City Centre in Lilongwe which upon completion the structure will tower the rest as Malawi’s tallest building.

Group Executive Chairman, Simbi Phiri, told Nyasa Times  at his Midrand offices in Johannesburg that Malawi needs modern infrastructure to inject life into its economy.

“We will construct a twin tower architectural wonder at City Centre opposite Reserve Bank of Malawi.

“Besides its outstanding beauty, the structure will also provide more job opportunities either during construction and when businesses will occupy space in the building,” said Simbi of the close to K18 billion project.

Work is expected to commence as soon as all regulatory procedures with Lilongwe City Council and other government agencies are put in place.

The company’s engineering subsidiaries, Khato Civils and South Zambezi, have a track record of constructing modern infrastructure in South Africa, Ghana, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Malawi.

In a related development, the business magnate has also intensified plans to establish a cigarrete and cigar making factory at his expansive Mchinji farm.

Phiri says the country’s tobacco industry continues to face challenges because of its vicious cycle of treating the leaf as a raw material all the time.

“We will establish a cigarette manufacturing company as a way of creating more local jobs, expanding government’s tax base and growing the country’s economy at the same time.”

He adds, “We are also targeting the up-market customer base with cigars and for this we will bring experts from Cuba to help in quality assurance of the product.”

Simbi Phiri has become a major Malawian investor and philanthropist over the years helping the economy in Health, Agriculture, Social Affairs and Construction sectors among others.