Mutharika to open K8bn Chapananga Bridge: Reaffirms more infrastructural development for Malawi
President Peter Mutharika has said he is set to open the long awaited K8 billion Chapananga Bridge across Mwanza River in Chikwawa next week and outlined his government’s nifrastracture development plans.
Mutharika said this to a thunderous welcome on arrival from Lilongwe at Sanjika Palace grounds on Friday.
The bridge, which connects people of Chimwanjale and Chibisa wards in Senior Chief Chapananga and serves as a shortcut to Mwanza and Mozambique from Chikwawa, ill ease people’s transport challenges.
“We are committed to infrastructural development of this country as such I will open the long awaited Chapananga Bridge next week which happens to be the longest ever in the counrty,” said Mutharika.
The longest bridge in the country (180 metres) is being constructed by Plem Construction Limited with funding from the Malawi Government.
Minister of Transport and Public Works Jappie Mhango said the bridge is of great importance both economically and socially.
He said people from either side of the river have been experiencing challenges in terms of trade and accessing basic social services such as schools and hospitals. The completion of the bridge means those challenges are over.
In his address to the DPP supporters, Mutharika also revealed that government has secured a total of $36 million for the construction of a 93 kilometre Mpemba-Lunzu-Mapanga-Mzedi-Namiyango-Chigumula ring-Road, saying construction of the first 33 kilometres of the road would start soon.
“We are committed to complete all the development projects soon. The Zomba-Jali-Chitakale Road will soon be completed and open to traffic,” he added.
On reducing poverty, Mutharika said government has already secured money from the European Investment Bank and Japan for the establishment of an Investment Bank where people will be getting loans at reasonable interest rates.
“We will soon start giving out loans to women, men and the youth. Farmers will just need to organise themselves in cooperatives. The youth will just need to come up with viable business plans and we will be able to provide them with the loans.
“This is on top of the social cash transfer program which provides money to ultra-poor households in all districts across the country whose primary objective is to ensure children go to school,” added Mutharika.
On health, Mutharika said that the long awaited National Cancer Centre whose construction is currently at 80 percent would be opened between January and February next year.
“This will be Malawi’s first ever cancer centre and we also plan to construct another in Blantyre,” said the Malawian leader.
Mutharika added that government is doing all it can to solve the problem of power outages being experienced in the country.
“In fact, on Monday next week, we are doing a ground breaking for the construction of a 60 megawatts solar power project in Salima,” he emphasised.
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The absolutely overriding infrastructure that Malawi needs desperately is a reliable electricity supply that provides power throughout the country 24/7. The fact that APM has so far failed to solve this basic need means he and the DPP government do not deserve to be re-elected in May 2019. Roads and bridges are no substitute for electricity. The President has got his priorities wrong.
MK8 billion bridge??? The bridge doesn’t look like MK8 billion
Manga yako
How much should the bridge cost Mr Wide guy? I am not dpp but at the same time I don’t know how they reached that figure so I’d rather be silent on the cost than pretend that I know who has pocketed the rest of the money. Help us with the figure you charged for the job poti ndinu mukumanga
How much can you build such a bridge Brother??
MK8 billion bridge???? Ndalama zapita kuti
Why Mr President u want to continue waisting our tax money remember u signed Zambia Interconnection today we hear its not ready. U also broke the ground for Mombera University nothing happening do u know guyz that one Presidential engangement costs over K40 million? How many rallies has he done & how many bags of maize that Dodma would’ve bought to save starving Balaka pple & all over Malawi? Is this patriotism bwana APM?