For years, Thuchila Bridge has been crucial to the livelihoods of people who use Midima Road, which takes one from Blantyre and Chiradzulu to Mulanje District via Nkando Trading Centre. Mulanje-based businesspersons who sell produce or work in Chiradzulu or Blantyre use the bridge to get to the commercial city in no time. Those in the vicinity also use the structure when going to, or coming from, Nkando Market, with yet others using it to go to their gardens. However, following damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Freddy, lives of all these have been disrupted. To make matters worse, two people have, so far, died after falling down in the course of using part of the damaged structure to move from one side to another. THOMAS KACHERE, who spent a whole day observing the goings-on at the spot, writes.
In the past six years, Thuchila Bridge, which is along the M03 Road near Nkando Trading Centre in Mulanje District, has been a subject of rehabilitation and construction works— with no sustainable positive impact.
This is because the structure continues to succumb to the natural elements every time there are heavy rains induced by natural phenomena such as storms and cyclones.
In March 2018, for instance, the Roads Authority (RA) announced that it had temporarily closed Thuchila Bridge to carry out maintenance works.
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RA spokesperson Portia Kajanga indicated at the time that the bridge was very old, such that it had been affected by corrosion, among other problems.
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“We have closed the bridge because it has outlived and therefore needs to be replaced so that people can be able to travel safely. Currently we have put up a bailey bridge as we await new designs for a permanent structure after designs have been certified by relevant stakeholders,” Kajanga indicated six years ago.
As a result of the development, road users were advised to be using the M02 Road, which stretches from Limbe through Thyolo to Muloza in Mulanje.
Then came Tropical Cyclone Freddy, which made landfall in Malawi on March 11 2023 and caused massive damage to infrastructure such as bridges, leaving Thuchila Bridge scathed, as it was among the affected structures in the Southern Region.
Following the development, RA made an ‘Invitation for Bids– Completion of the Construction of Thuchila Bridge along M03 Road at Nkando Trading Centre in Mulanje District’ call in June this year.
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It was actually a “re-advertisement” document, Procurement Reference No.: RA/DEV/BR/ MJ/2024-25/06.
However, while road users have been waiting for the works to begin, some of them have, regrettably, started sustaining injuries or, worse still, dying on their attempts to cross from one side of the bridge to another.
Indeed, lives of villagers continue to be at risk because, out of necessity, they have to make the arduous journey to Nkalo Health Centre and public healthcare service facilities.
Scores of people in Mulanje and Chiradzulu districts, especially those from Mulanje South West and Chiradzulu South, are affected by the current state of the bridge because it literally connects them to services.
Community leaders say, already, two people have succumbed to their injuries after falling down from the not-fit-for-use structure.
Indeed, watching people cross the damaged structure feels like watching a movie, but it is the reality of life for people in these areas.
While documenting the daily struggles of people at the site, a man in his late 30s fell off as he was attempting to cross the bridge.
Rose Nanjala, who was on her way to attend a meeting at church, complained that it is dangerous to cross the bridge.
“We are facing challenges and my concern is for school-going children, who are at increased risk of falling off compared to adults. What will happen when the rains start falling? May the authorities do something about our predicament,” she said.
Grace Martin of Nsupe Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Nkalo, said access to education services and business premises had been compromised, such that life was a struggle.
“Yesterday [Tuesday] evening, an extended structure that was made by some people collapsed, after materials it was made of gave in, leaving a number of people injured.
“Minutes ago, a man fell to the hard surface and fainted. This is affecting a lot of people, including pregnant women who get services from Nkalo Health Centre,” Martin explained.
On his part, healthcare worker Steve Phalera from Luchenza said the structure was key to people’s livelihoods as it connects them to important places, notably Chonde Market in Mulanje, Nkalo Health Centre and Thuchira Police Unit.
“There are a lot of commodities, such as tomatoes, that need to be taken to Chonde Market for sale.
“However, crossing the bridge is a struggle here and people have to pay money to be assisted when crossing it, all the while knowing that they are putting their lives on the line,” he said.
Frazer Mbweza concurred with Phalera, saying people were courting danger every day.
“I have seen people get injured or even die simply because they wanted to cross the bridge,” he said.
Dreks Nchaya of Ntamba Village, TA Nkalo, said the list of those affected was endless.
He cited livestock farmers and shepherds among those affected by the current poor state of bridge.
“We have been approaching duty-bearers, who are George Chaponda of Mulanje South West and Joseph Mwanamvekha of Chiradzulu South constituencies, on the matter because we want immediate relief from the problems we are facing. So far, we have not been helped,” he said.
Nchaya said some people had found a business opportunity on the misfortune, such that they were charging people to help them cross the bridge.
Stephano John is one of the villagers who are providing services to people who cross the bridge.
“Although we are charging people who ask for our services, we are doing it out of necessity and not out of desperation,” he said.
According him, on a good day, he knocks off with about K9,000.
Member of Parliament for Mulanje South, Chaponda, said after the bridge was damaged, he reported the matter to the Minister of Transport, who reportedly assured him that funds were available and that the bridge would be maintained.
“I have also reported [the matter] to the District Commissioner for Mulanje. Together with Member of Parliament for Chiradzulu South Constituency Joseph Mwanamvekha, we have been pushing the authorities to help but the responses were the same, with nothing happening.
“This is very disappointing because it is a bridge which is affecting the provision of services. I know that two people died there when they attempted to cross the bridge,” Chaponda said.
On his part, Mwanamvekha said people in Chiradzulu South Constituency were equally affected by the damage to the bridge.
“I am heavily affected because my people are suffering. They are not able to travel from Nkalo to Luchenza in Mulanje to sell their goods,” he said.
Mwanamvekha added that they had tried their best to engage government officials, who assured them that they would do something about the problem.
“Even the Minister of Local Government went there and promised the people that they would be assisted but, up to now, that bridge has not been maintained. So, I am worried and heavily affected because people are suffering,” he said.
Mwanamvekha said there was a need for the authorities to realise the importance of taking care of public infrastructure.
Public infrastructure refers to facilities or systems that are government owned and operated for public use.
Effective transportation requires good public infrastructure, notably bridges, such that what is happening at Nkando has not escaped the attention of Human Rights Consultative Committee Chairperson Robert Mkwezalamba, who described the development as unfortunate.
“We regret that people are denied services because of problems associated with a bridge that was destroyed by a natural disaster. The State has a responsibility to provide to the citizenry.
“As such, by now, the bridge should have been fixed. I think the government simply has to come in because it is denying Malawians their right to good infrastructure,” Mkwezalamba said.
Officials from the office of public works at Mulanje District Council refused to comment on the matter.
On her part, RA spokesperson Kajanga said she needed ample time before she could comment on the issue.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 9 encourages all countries to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation.
For Malawi, though, this remains a better-said-than-done thing. For examples, one just has to travel to Nkando and see how people are struggling to move from one part of Thuchila Bridge to the other.
