Mutharika quashes ‘nonsense’ criticism on foundation stones: Malawi leader warns dire consequences to shoddy contractors
President Peter Mutharika has hit back at critics who accuses him of rolling up his sleeves and taken to laying foundation stones to hoodwink Malawians into voting him into office again, saying all infrastructure development projects his administration had launched will materialise.
Mutharika , speaking at Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe on Thursday when he launched a revolutionary infrastructure development with a National Transport Master Plan (NTMP) to be implemented from 2017 – 2037, that his commitment to developing the country has seen numerous construction works never experienced before in the northern, central, eastern and southern parts of the country.
“The empty noise that some are making that we are doing more ground breaking works than construction is completely false and that is total nonsense,” said Mutharika .
“Every project I have done a ground breaking ceremony for is under construction. Go there and see for yourselves. There is progress. But we have to know that development is a continuous process and it does not happen in a single day,” said Mutharika.
President Mutharika has been laying foundation stones for road projects including the 186 kilometer (km) Blantyre By-pass Road and the 16km Clock Tower to Chileka International Airport dual carriageway.
Mutharika has also told Malawians that his government will construct a tarmac road from Chileka International Airport in Blantyre to Mpatamanga up to Mwanza District in addition to the Mangochi-Makanjira Roade whose construction he touted recently.
But critics have raised questions over funding, asking President Mutharika to explain to Malawians where government will get the money for such projects in the face of non-performing economy.
The government has been urged to disclose the source of funding to “inspire confidence” in the people that the planned projects are doable and deliverable within the stipulated time frames.
But in his address on Thursday, Mutharik asaid developments contained in the NTMP have been distributed to cater for all parts of the country and called for coordinated efforts for the betterment of the country.
“Let us work together and be serious about developing this country. Let us get out of the negating thinking that we cannot achieve which is something that brings down this country,” he said.
President Mutharika also took time to issue another stern warning to contractors, his government won’t tolerate shoddy deals in the booming construction industry.
“Let me also warn all local and foreign contractors to take us seriously. Stop stealing from this country and stop doing sub-standard work… Anyone caught doing any fraudulent activities will be banned from working in this country,” warned Mutharika.
Mutharika is on a purge of corruption, instilling discipline in the public service, and his administration has established various austerity programmes, including limiting luxury travels by public officials using taxpayers’ money.
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Akadakhala nyama yakuthengo, munthu uyu ndikadamuyika mgulu la Ngoma, nyama ya tulo kwambiri. Where is Nkhotakota university promised by Bingu & appeared in your 2014 manifesto? Ngati ukufuna ma vote ndiye zakuvutatu , komanso ngati ukuganiza kuti mudzawina chifukwa cha mavoti aku eastern region ndi lomwe belt forgetting other parts of the country ndiye zakuvutatu . Uganize bwino or outsource advisers who can advise you properly.
DEAR MALAWIANS
TODAY I NEARLY CRIED AND FELT SORRY FOR MYSELF
WHEN I READ A REPORT LISTING MALAWIANS AS THE MOST UNHAPPY PEOPLE IN THE
WORLD SAME AS BURUNDI HAITI WHY MALAWI WHY ?
THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE
WORSHIP TOO MUCH THESE
LEADERS WHO LIVED IN US
AS NOBODIES AND COME BACK HOME TO BE PRAISED FOR DOING NOTHING GOOD FOR
MALAWIANS
Achipeta kusayamika inu ngati gule wankulu. Bwanji nseu wopita kwa mwini dambwe ku Nsaru kwa Kabudula? Sichitukuko?Asaaa!!!!
As for the Clock Tower – Chileka Airport dual carriage way, the work has just partially started. Earth moving machines are on the ground clearing specific vegetative areas along the road …but structures close to the road reserve may cause problems …
Failure to control his own shadows shame
Wachukula mdala!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can see a sleeping nation who citizen are still snoring. Where on earth will you expect development to happen just the day after laying a foundation stone.. There is a saying “Rome was not built in a day””. No wonder our infrastructure are of poor standard because we want to see the road build when a year. We want to see the university build within a year. We forget there are a lot of things to be done, surveys, environment and many more to check. Those nations you see they can take a year or two to build just… Read more »
Nanunso a Napoleon simukukhala ngati a Malawi bwanji. As Malawians we have been promised a lot of projects from 1994 (probably not DPP but same politicians). This is now 24 years down the line and still no visible development. Have you been to neighbouring countries like Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania. In 1994 Lusaka was full of potholes with no groceries in their shops. Maputo and Dar were in the same situation. Malawi was buzzing economically (by Africa standards) at the time. Today Lusaka, Maputo and Dar are way ahead of our two cities. Malawi is now rated as the poorest… Read more »
Hehehehe! Crossroads musandisekese inu. Mukunena chani inu. Kamudzu ruledthe country for 31 yrs, tel me any dual carriageway during his time. More roads are being made. You can drive all the way Llw to Bt no potholes. Zomba by road so niece is like am in Europe. Sorry I haven’t been to Zambia as a visitor but on transit at Lusaka airport. Tanzania at the single border and Mozambique just sangano and Lizulu. I have travelled around Europe , America and Asia and I have seen how they take their time to build quality infrastructure. If you believe that the… Read more »
I respect your views and position. If you’re happy with the current (infrustructure) developments then I am happy for you. If you’re happy with Malawi global ratings then who am I to challenge you. If your experience is that the quality of road infrastructure is similar to that of Europe, I can’t argue with you. Let’s just fight for a better Malawi for all Malawians so that they too can see and experience what you are experiencing
Mr President please share with the general populace the stats on how many foundation stones you have laid or presided over against those projects that have come to fruition since you came into power in 2014. No one will argue with facts.
Yes, for example out of 40 foundation stones how many have started or been completed? 20? 30? What proportion or percentage? Otherwise, these DPP thieves may be hallucinating-not seeing reality as it is. Of course similar claims are also being made on the DPP manifesto.
A lie is a lie even if one tries to say it a 100 times. Adolf Hitler tried but failed miserably, and as we now all know he remains a big looser in political history.
My only question is “how much progress has been achieved for major projects you initiated 3yrs ago” Njakwa-livingstonia road, mombera university, Blantyre-Chingale-Machinga road, Mangochi 5 star hotel/airport, and other big projects. Now what you want to deploy contractors all over the country as bait for 2019 and after election they will disappear again on context of unavailability of funds. All the previous regime had been unveiling their beautiful plans, but they were just on paper to hoodwink people. Look at investment forums you initially hailed, how much investors has it brought to the country? NOTHING. yet money was spend &… Read more »
koma president uyuso ndiye ndinangotayapo vote yanga, angodziwa kulankhula but no action on the ground. In future who in DPP can come and say I will do like APM and expect to get votes? Peter has let us down! magetsi….. palibe chomwe chikusintha……unemployment of trained youths……..ect koma kuba….