Roads Authority (RA) has expressed optimism that procurement processes for contractors to rehabilitate the 105-kilometre (km) Chiweta–Karonga section of M1 will be completed within 60 days and that works will start this year.

The authority has since called for international competitive bidding from contractors that can finish work within 24 months amid growing concerns over the poor condition of the road.

RA chief executive officer Joel Longwe said in a telephone interview yesterday that the government has provided funding, but could not reveal the budget because procurement processes are still underway.

“Our target is to complete the bidding processes within 60 days. We want to go on the ground immediately. As you can appreciate, the road is in bad shape,” he said.

The Chiweta-Karonga section of the M1. | Nation

Longwe said the road has not been maintained in the past three years due to the non-remittance of the fuel levy, leaving it in a poor state because of deferred maintenance.

Potential bidders are scheduled to visit the site this Wednesday to appreciate the condition of the road so that their bidding documents should reflect the work needed to rehabilitate the road.

Karonga Town legislator Daniel Mwanyongo hailed the government’s move to start the rehabilitation process, saying it had been long overdue despite the road being important to the nation.

“I hope they have not just flown the advert. We want it to be implemented. We want it to be expedited and works should start immediately,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Defenders Coalition has announced that it intends to hold demonstrations by blocking the road on July 1 2026, to force the government to start rehabilitation works.

However, governance and human rights advocate Undule Mwakasungula has cautioned that such demonstrations would disrupt transportation.

The Chiweta–Karonga Road connects Malawi to Tanzania and provides access to the Port of Dar es Salaam, through which the country imports most of its commodities, including fuel.

The section is in bad state that it is costing road users time and money due to rising cost of transport and vehicle maintenance.

Paramount Chief Kyungu of Karonga and Chitipa district last week joined civil society organisations in pushing for the road’s rehabilitation to ease mobility.

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