Group marches to demand bridge
Great North Transformation Institute on Saturday led demonstrations to force government to expedite the construction of Enukweni Bridge which was washed away by heavy rains last January.
The single-lane bridge is currently suspended on one side and the timber supporting it is worn out.
The group engaged an engineer whose assessment report showed that the bridge is in dilapidated state and can collapse any time.
Presenting a petition to Roads Authority (RA) officials in Mzuzu, the group’s deputy operations officer Grace Gondwe said the bridge is on M1 Road, which is the country’s economic backbone in terms of imports and exports.
Reads the petition in part: “Enukweni Bridge is an important link in the Northern corridor network. The M1 facilitates trade between Malawi and Tanzania. Hundreds of vehicles use the bridge daily but it is in poor state.”
A truck driver Kondwani Msowoya commended the grouping for the initiative, saying most drivers fear for their lives when using the bridge.
In their petition, the grouping has asked the Ministry of Transport and Public Works to facilitate the construction of the bridge.
Roads Authority maintenance engineer received the petition on behalf of government, but refused to comment on the matter.
RA tendered works for the construction of the bridge in June, this year.
