By Doricah Mkwapatira

Machinga, May 10, Mana: Minister of Transport and Public Works, Jacob Hara has expressed satisfaction with the progress of the Nsipe-Liwonde road reconstruction, saying the road will continue to facilitate improved mobility and boost local economic activities once completed.

Hara made a monitoring tour of the road project Friday afternoon and commended the contractor, Jiangxi Construction Engineering Group Corporation Limited for being dedicated to the work regardless of some challenges.

“This is my first time visiting and I am happy with the progress though the work started during the rainy season. This only shows how dedicated everyone is to the progress of the work," he added.

The Transport and Public Works Minister however looked forward to good work, saying compromising on quality will not be acceptable.

“Maintaining high-quality work is paramount to the safety of road users and goods mobility. Compromise on standards will be unacceptable because we want a road that should last long," he added.

During the tour, the minister learnt some challenges, such as delays in shipping equipment from China to Malawi.

On this challenge, Hara called on the contractor, to remain committed to the work, saying there is a need to revise shipping plans to ensure the timely arrival of equipment into the country.

With current physical progress at 5 per cent, the minister anticipated that good plans will keep up with the work schedule, saying early execution of the project will avoid expenses that might arise due to extension of the work.

Member of Parliament for Balaka West, Bertha Ndebere, was equally satisfied with the Nsipe –Liwonde road project, saying the current road condition is inconvenient to motorists, describing it as a death trap.

“The road has been a longstanding concern for road users, it is a death trap. I am very relieved with the road reconstruction and l know this will bring safety to road users and improve mobility," she added.

Balaka District Commissioner, Tamanya Harawa, hailed government for initiating the road project, saying this was a long-awaited development project which would significantly benefit road users and local communities.

“Balaka District Council is very happy. The road was neglected for a long time but the current government has taken it up to improve it,” he added.

The project aims to cover 55 kilometres and has a budget of USD 46 million from the Africa Development Bank, the European Union, and the Malawi Government.

The project started in January 2025 and is expected to be completed in July 2026.