By Isaac Salima:
President Lazarus Chakwera has said that it high time the country came up with infrastructure that is durable and impactful to citizens.
The Malawi leader said this Wednesday in Nsanje.
The President said such infrastructure is crucial for the country’s development.
“Although it has taken us this long to revive railway transportation, this is what we, as a country, need. We need to build infrastructures that should benefit generations to come,” Chakwera said.
The President further called on people to look at issues beyond politics so that the country can fully benefit from development projects.
“This thing of looking at next elections is not good enough for the country. Let us build infrastructures that are durable, not those that should win us elections. Those who come after us should also benefit and cherish our contributions,” he said.
Chakwera also said revamping the railway line was a manifestation that he was a man of his words.
“When, in 2020, I spoke in Parliament that my administration is bringing back rail, many people did not believe me,” Chakwera said.
Chakwera also hailed his Mozambican counterpart Filipe Nyusi for cooperating with Malawi in the reconstruction of the line.
Malawi and Mozambique entered into an agreement to revamp rail transportation as it is crucial for facilitating trade activities between the two countries.
Mozambique completed rehabilitation of its section and Malawi is yet to compete the rehabilitation of the first phase of the section between Marka and u Bangula, which is a distance of 72 kilometres.
Minister of Transport and Public Works Jacob Hara said the work involves a lot of things, which are still being worked on.
“This is not easy work and that is why previous governments avoided it. For instance, from here [Marka] to Bangula, there were 50 bridges and 102 box covers that needed to be constructed. So it needs a lot of resources. But we have worked on that and, by next year, we will be finishing with construction of a transshipment point at Nsanje so that goods can be received at the place,” Hara said.
On his part, National Oil Company of Malawi Chief Executive Officer Clement Kanyama said once completed, costs would be reduced.
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