Poor procurement delays Lirangwe–Chingale Machinga road construction

Minister of Transport and Public Works Francis Kasaila has said the construction and upgrading of the Lirangwe-Chingale Machinga Road has delayed due to a misunderstanding on the loan agreement between government and the financier.

Malawi Government borrowed $10 million (approximately K431 million) from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development to upgrade and improve the 62.3 kilometres road to suit all weather conditions.

In an interview Kasaila said failure to abide by the terms and conditions of the loan which was to go for open tendering for contractors within Africa and Arab world to bid on the contract lead to the delay.

“We had challenges in the way the procurement of a contractor was done. We engaged a contractor and a consultant who did not please the donor following which lead to the donor’s reluctance in financing the project,” he said.

He said, meanwhile government has re-engaged the financer who has assured the government it will continue financing the project on the condition that government follows proper measures.

“We have been asked to follow and take appropriate procedures of which we are going to do. We can assure the public that the construction will continue and the road will be completed soon,” he added

Among other construction works of the road include bridges, drainages, earth works and environmental protection works.

Earlier this year, Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) expressed concern over lack of progress on the upgrading and construction of the road wondering why there seemed to be delaying tactics on the road construction, but government did not say anything on the issue.