The Maravi Post

BLANTYRE—Motorists, more especially passengers travelling on Zomba-Blantyre road, which has become impassable due to flooding, must now pay more as bus fares have gone up following the bad condition of the road between Njuli Quarry and Mbulumbuzi trading centre.

Minibus fares have gone up from K1000 to K2500 per passenger while other motorists are now using the Liwonde-Balaka-Zalewa road to get to either of the cities. They now travel about 219 kilometres compared to the distance between Zomba and Blantyre which is about 64 kilometres.

Meanwhile, the Malawi Institute of Engineers (MIE) has faulted the contractor, Mota Engil, claiming that the condition of the road is the result of the contractor’s negligence.

MIE president Dr. Matthews Mtumbuka says continued delays to find a good detour would create more problems.

“What we saw at the site is a shock because we did not expect the contractor to let the situation on the road to go out of hand like it has done,” said Mtumbuka.

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