By Kondwani Magombo
Lilongwe, October 19, Mana: Chiefs living in the areas where the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Malawi Transport and Land Compact roads project will be implemented have expressed joy at the news saying the development will catalyze agribusiness in the areas.
On September 28, the government of Malawi and the MCC signed the US$350m Malawi Transport and Land Compact in the U.S at a ceremony that was presided over by President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera and U.S Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.
Unpacking the compact recently, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Sosten Gwengwe, told journalists in Lilongwe that four roads had been identified and approved for construction under the Compact.
The roads projects include one from Chikwawa in Rumphi, past Thulwe, Bowe, Vwaza, Kazuni, Ekwendeni, Amoni Munthali, Mpherembe, Kabwafu Turn off, Emangeni, Mzambazi, terminating at Euthini, Mzimba, covering 67km.
Another road project is 88km from Mkanda in Mchinji, going through Masumbe, Nsuname, Chimwankango, Estate 74, Kalanga, Gogo, Thunduwala, Kantukuwa, Kamboni, Kaziwa, Malipera, Rusa, Kapaladza, Chiujeni, Kayesa, Kachereza up to Linga, in Kasungu.
In Lilongwe, a 53km road will be constructed from Chileka passing Ndaula, Phiri Lanjuzi, Malili, Chigwirizano terminating at Lilonwe West Bypass Road; while the fourth will start from Nkutumula in Ntcheu past Banda, Handa, Chikande, Leveni, Black, Naunje, Mphika, Ntonda, Phirilongwe, Nkhungwa, Maonekera, Maloya, Chilonga, Chimvuwu, Sikidzi, Nterereka, Nankumba, terminating at Chantulo in Mangochi, covering 79km.
Inkosi Mpherembe of Mzimba has described government’s plans to construct the Chikwawa-Euthini Road as “the best thing ever” that the people of Mzimba have waited for so long to happen.
Mpherembe said the road will ease transportation of people and goods, especially agricultural produce, to markets and other places.
“This is a very important issue: This road is very crucial to agricultural development and business,” said Mpherembe in a phone interview over the Wednesday, and he continued, “All along we have been wondering why a very important road like this, the road that is feeding Mzuzu and Rumphi, is being neglected.”
The Inkosi recalled that during the Kamuzu days the road used to be an all-weather road but over the years its condition had worsened making transporters shun it.
In Mchinji, Traditional Authority Gumba also described the Mkanda-Linga Road as crucial to the transportation of agricultural produce to various markets.
Gumba said the road passes low-lying areas and that during rainy season, it is completely impassable due to sticky muddy swamps.
“This is good news to me and all my subjects: The areas that this road passes are very productive with estates here, and farms there, so a good road will not only spur development but it will also improve the livelihoods of the people as they will be able to get their farm produce to markets,” she explained in an interview.
Senior Chiefs Kalolo of Lilongwe and Nankumba of Mangochi are also all smiles upon learning about the road projects in their respective areas under the Land and Transport Compact.
Kalolo said the areas that the Chileka-Malili-Chigwirizano Road will pass are occupied by people whose chief occupation is farming hence, the road will ease transportation of people and farm produce “to feed the population of the capital city”.
Nankumba, on the other hand, said the road from Nkutumula to Chantulo “is the lifeline” of the people living in the lakeshore areas such as Malembo, Nankhwali, Cape Maclear and Monkey Bay in general.
“I cannot wait to see the works on this road commence: If the fishing communities of Malembo, Nankhwali, Zambo, Mvunguti, Msaka and Monkey Bay as a whole, are accessing commodities such as maize, ground nuts, bananas, cassava, and many more, it is because of this road,” explained Nankumba in a phone interview.
He added: “The current condition of the road is making it difficult and expensive for people to move their merchandise from areas like Chilipa and Balaka; so with a bitumen road, this side of Mangochi will never be the same.”
The four chiefs’ sentiments echo the observation that the U.S Ambassador to Malawi, David Young, made in Lilongwe recently when he, and Gwengwe unpacked the Compact, describing it as “a game changer”.
The Ambassador congratulated Malawi for qualifying for the second Compact upon attaining a “very strong score card on political and economic governance.
“This Compact will create major high ways and major roads through the different regions of the country,” said Young.
He added: “There’ll be tremendous impact of building links to farmers for them to find their way to markets; being able to get people to hospital; children to move to schools – it’ll be a game changer.”
The Malawi Transport and Land Compact is expected to be implemented in a period of 5 years and it will also involve legislative processes on land administration to do away with stumbling blocks that affect progress, according to minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Gwengwe.
