During the handover of the project site, government said it had funding available for the works. However, the project is failing to make progress due to unavailability of funding. Six months before the set date of completion, only 1km of 72kms has been laid
In six months’ time, the 72- km Nsanje-Marka railway project is supposed to be completed, if the deadline which the government set is anything to go by.
But that means the contractor has 71km of rail to lay in that period because 12 months on, only one kilometre has been completed.
On May 19, 2022 government, through the Ministry of Transport, officially handed over the project to China Railways 20th Bureau Group Corporation (CR20) with a promise to complete the project in 18 months.
However the project, wholly-financed by the government, has been dogged by unavailability of funding from the government.
In a telephone interview, one CR20 official who did not want to be named and attributed his comment to the Head of Human Resource, Communication and Project Administration, confirmed that the project was suspended due to unavailability of funds.
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“Yes, the project has been slow. We suspended constructions works last month due to unavailability of funds. But we will resume Saturday [today].
“So far we have done one kilometre from Mozambique border into Malawi and the train is able to ferry goods to Malawi just to that point,” the source said.
The source further said CR20 is not in a better position to give an estimation of how far the project will take to conclude following the delays that have happened.
“On that one, I would not be able to clarify because there are technical people who are in charge of the progress work. But what I can say is that there is always consideration of time extension.
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“Earth works have been done. Some structures such as bridges and also bush clearing and earth works that are related to the project are in progress. The cargo is being offloaded on our side since we have at least laid one kilometre of the railway but I cannot give percentage of the works done so far,” he said.
Commenting on the matter, Senior Chief Malemia in whose area the railway passes said traditional leaders in the district did approach the contractor about the slow progress.
From the deliberations, it was apparent that the problem was with government as it was not funding the project to the expected levels.
“What I can say is that commencing was a milestone but we are concerned with the slow progress that has marred the project.
“We went to see the contractor and they told us that the issue was funding. They said if it was not for that, the project would have been far advanced,” he said.
Malemia has since called on the government to live up to its words and ensure that the project is completed in good time, arguing this will change the economy of the district and country at large.
“We hope that government will look into the matter and make it work. We are so looking forward to completion of the project.
“Already, with what is being done on the ground, people found piece work and we are certain that getting into full mode of completing the project will not only employ more people but it will also enhance skills transfer in the community members. It is apparent that the contractor was geared to do the work and complete it within time but the biggest problem is funding,” he said.
Minister of Transport and Public Works Jacob Hara said he would attend to our questionnaire. He had not done so by the time we went to press.
During the handover of the project site in May last year, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Hastings Chiudzu, said the project had readily available funding to see it to its completion.
“Let me assure you that this is perhaps one of the projects with full funding. Funding is not a problem because the government is financing it using the local finance bond so the funds are there and we do not anticipate any financial problems,” he said then.
At the time of the handover, the project had also delayed by almost a year and a half as it was marred by contract tendering irregularities when it was first awarded to Mota Engil.
The railway project is part of the effort by Malawi and Mozambique to revive the Sena Corridor.
The corridor provides rail connection to Beira Port in Mozambique. Mozambique already completed its 44km section from Mutarara to Marka.
