By Clever Mwale:
More than K8 billion in public funds has already been spent on the much-publicised Mvera Innovation City Project, yet construction works have not started on the ground.
The development has raised serious questions about planning, approvals and accountability on one of Malawi’s proposed flagship national development initiatives.
The project, which is being implemented at Mvera in Dowa District, was lauded as one that would culminate in the establishment of a transformational smart city that would anchor innovation, digital services, investment and job creation.
Years after its announcement, however, the site remains undeveloped, with officials now admitting that the project stalled before reaching the construction phase.
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Between May 8 and 16, Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) officials held a series of engagements with the media and stakeholders, where the suspended Macra Director General Daud Suleman revealed that over K8 billion had already been spent on the project.
He said the money went towards land compensation and other preparatory activities.
Of the amount spent so far, about K3.5 billion was used for compensating community members whose land was acquired for the project.
The remaining funds were reportedly channelled into planning, feasibility work and other early-stage processes.
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However, no detailed public breakdown has been provided.
Despite the significant expenditure, there is no visible infrastructure at the site, a situation now attributed to the lack of environmental clearance from the Malawi Environmental Protection Authority (Mepa), a requirement under the law before any major project can proceed.
Within Macra itself, clarity on expenditure appears limited.
When asked for a detailed account of the spending, Macra spokesperson Limbani Nsapato said he was still awaiting financial details on how the K8 billion was spent.
“I’m awaiting the same [details] from Finance [Department officials],” he replied after being asked two times.
Meanwhile, Macra Deputy Director of Technology and Standards Nicholas Kanyenda, whose phone number is provided on the Mvera Smart City website, declined to explain how the funds were used, saying it was not his responsibility.
On progress made, he said Macra was waiting for Mepa to complete environmental assessments to ensure the project’s safety.
This contradicts earlier public expectations that the project was ready to move into the physical development phase.
However, Mepa Director General Wilfred Kadewa has made it clear that the delay lies with the project developers.
He said the proponents of Mvera City have not yet conducted or submitted an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), a mandatory step before an environmental permit can be issued.
“The law states that a person shall not undertake any project for which an ESIA is required without written approval by Mepa,” Kadewa said. He added that Mepa had already provided Terms of Reference and a list of approved consultants for the study.
He stressed that the ESIA should have been part of the project’s feasibility stage and not an afterthought, saying Mepa could not grant approval without first assessing the report.
On the ground, Traditional Authority Chiwere confirmed that all people affected by the project received compensation and vacated the land.
He could, however, not disclose the number of beneficiaries or the exact amounts paid.
Chiwere said community members were informed that only physical planning work remained before construction could begin, and dismissed reports that some people had started rebuilding on the land that has been reserved for the project.
The Dowa District Council has also distanced itself from the delays, describing Mvera City as a national project implemented through Macra.
Dowa District Council spokesperson Sylvester Kumwenda said the council approved the project through its District Executive Committee and that it was now waiting for direction from the implementing agency.
“We, as a council, approved its implementation and we are equally on the receiving end. So far, we have not received any communication about any delay,” Kumwenda said.
Repeated attempts to seek clarification from Minister of Information Shadric Namalomba were unsuccessful, as he neither responded to written questions nor answered phone calls by press time.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Local Government, through its spokesperson Chimwemwe Njoloma, has said they have not received any complaint about project stalling and could not comment further, referring us back to Macra and Dowa District Council.
