LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi Parliament on Wednesday, April 2, 2025 passed Bill No. 15 of 2025: OPEC Fund for International Construction and Rehabilitation of Mangochi-Makanjira Road Project (Loan Authorisation).
Presenting the bill in the August House,Minister of Finance, Simplex Chithyola said the Bill authorizes the government to borrow MK35 billion from the OPEC Fund for International Development.
Chithyola said the project has already received initial funding of US$75 million from the Saudi Fund for Development.
He adds that the new loan will specifically focus on upgrading a 36-kilometer section of the road from Mangochi to Mwanjati, transforming it into a two-lane bitumen paved standard road.
He therefore said the loan will also cover costs related to land acquisition, displacement of affected persons, and project implementation, including hiring experts and purchasing equipment.
In his contribution, the Member of Parliament for Blantyre City South East, Sameer Suleiman, said that the time given for the road is unrealistic as we are just closer to elections.
He suggested that Chakwera inform Malawians of the whereabouts of the money he claims to have received from Saudi Arabia, instead of the current loan.