Contractor yet to be identified for barrage project

World Bank-funded Shire River Basin Management Programme says the upgrade of the Kamuzu Barrage at Liwonde in Machinga is scheduled to start in August this year, but a contractor is yet to be identified for the project.

Under the project, the Malawi Government will upgrade the Kamuzu Barrage by installing a state-of-the-art barrage with computerised gates and a separate road bridge.

The programme was reacting to an article published in The Nation last week Tuesday quoting Michael Chimbalanga, director of planning and development for Machinga District Council, as suggesting that a contractor had already been identified.

Reads the response from the programme: “The construction works are indeed scheduled to start in August, but the identification of a contractor has not been finalised.

“Government is still undertaking the procurement process and no contractor has been identified yet to implement the works. The identity of the contractor will only be known when the full procurement process has been concluded, including the receipt of a ‘No Objection’ from the financing partners.

“Government has so far hired Norwegian firm Norplan as the consulting construction supervisor and the processes of procuring of civil and mechanical works contractors are in progress and are expected to be concluded by July end 2014.”

The statement said the compensation of the people affected by the project have been completed.