Communities Petition Government on Nsanama-Nayuchi Road

A group of concerned community members and chiefs in Machinga have petitioned government for abandoning construction of Nsanama-Nayuchi border tarmac road which kick-started in April last year

In a petition to Roads Authority through Machinga district council the community members have demanded explanation on why the construction of the road has been abandoned and demanded resumption of the project as soon as possible

While confirming to be part of the concerned community members the group’s secretary Imran Mbwana said only 10 kilometres of the road was constructed nine months ago by a Chinese company to a tune of 5.3 billion kwacha living the other part of the road very impassable

Traditional Authority TA Mchinguza of the area said the former deputy minister of transport Nancy Mdooko assured them during the launch of the project in March 2021 that government had secured funds of the project

TA Mchinguza has therefore pleaded with government to identify another contractor within 15 days

Machinga district council spokesperson Martin Chiwanda confirmed that the council received the petition from community members saying they will send to relevant authorities

Efforts to speak to Malawi Roads Authority on why the road was abandoned proved futile as its spokesperson Portia Kajanga asked for more time to respond our questionnaire

Meanwhile, chairperson for Civil Society Organisations in the district Berlinda Chimombo says poor state of the road has negatively affected implementation of different projects in the district due to mobility challenges