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Call for quality roads in Blantyre as Ministry hands over Kanjeza Access Roads

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By Burnett Munthali

The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has emphasized the need for quality standard roads in Blantyre City, complete with well-maintained drainage systems, to ensure the durability of the roads.

This call comes as the ministry officially handed over Kanjeza access roads to Blantyre City Council.

Minister responsible, Chimwemwe Chipungu, expressed his concerns when he made the handover, citing potholes in part of the roads and poor drainage caused by residents dumping waste in drains.

Mayor Jomo and Lands Minister Chipungu



Chipungu stressed that the ministry is keen on seeing roads that can withstand the test of time.

Chipungu’s concerns were echoed by Mayor for Blantyre City Council, Jomo Osman, who commended the ministry for handing over the road to the council. Osman expressed the council’s desire to have all roads in the city under its jurisdiction, allowing for better maintenance and quality monitoring.

However, Engineer Harry Makina of Pamodzi Consulting Limited, the consulting engineers for the project, assured that the roads are of good standards.

Makina said the contractor would address the areas of concern, including the potholes and drainage issues, by the end of the month.

Makina also provided details of the project, stating that the roads in Kanjeza Forest stretch over 16.2 km and were constructed at a cost of K6.2 billion.

The handover marks a significant  milestone in the development of Blantyre City’s infrastructure.

The ministry’s call for quality roads is a timely reminder of the importance of proper infrastructure in supporting the city’s growth and development.

With the council now responsible for the roads, it is expected to ensure that the roads are well-maintained and serve the community effectively

Call for quality roads in Blantyre as Ministry hands over Kanjeza Access Roads

0

By Burnett Munthali

The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has emphasized the need for quality standard roads in Blantyre City, complete with well-maintained drainage systems, to ensure the durability of the roads.

This call comes as the ministry officially handed over Kanjeza access roads to Blantyre City Council.

Minister responsible, Chimwemwe Chipungu, expressed his concerns when he made the handover, citing potholes in part of the roads and poor drainage caused by residents dumping waste in drains.

Mayor Jomo and Lands Minister Chipungu



Chipungu stressed that the ministry is keen on seeing roads that can withstand the test of time.

Chipungu’s concerns were echoed by Mayor for Blantyre City Council, Jomo Osman, who commended the ministry for handing over the road to the council. Osman expressed the council’s desire to have all roads in the city under its jurisdiction, allowing for better maintenance and quality monitoring.

However, Engineer Harry Makina of Pamodzi Consulting Limited, the consulting engineers for the project, assured that the roads are of good standards.

Makina said the contractor would address the areas of concern, including the potholes and drainage issues, by the end of the month.

Makina also provided details of the project, stating that the roads in Kanjeza Forest stretch over 16.2 km and were constructed at a cost of K6.2 billion.

The handover marks a significant  milestone in the development of Blantyre City’s infrastructure.

The ministry’s call for quality roads is a timely reminder of the importance of proper infrastructure in supporting the city’s growth and development.

With the council now responsible for the roads, it is expected to ensure that the roads are well-maintained and serve the community effectively

CIRA sets tougher compliance rules for construction projects in 2026

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By Chisomo Phiri

The Construction Industry Regulatory Authority (CIRA) has unveiled new measures set to take effect in 2026, aimed at strengthening oversight of construction projects nationwide.

Speaking at a press briefing held in Lilongwe on Wednesday, CIRA Chief Executive Officer(CEO ) Engineer Gerald Khonje said all clients and procuring entities will be required to incorporate Infrastructure Technical Audits into their project governance frameworks.

Khonje cautioned that the authority will enforce compliance through directives, penalties, and, where necessary, the suspension of projects that fail to meet the requirements of the Construction Industry Act of 2025.

Khonje



He described 2026 as an ‘execution year’ emphasizing the need for the construction industry to demonstrate improved performance, professionalism, and integrity.

Khonje said the authority will make its processes user-friendly to ensure that obtaining a licence is easy for compliant companies.

He added that, as a regulator, CIRA has automated its processes, making it easier for companies to obtain certificates as long as they comply with the set regulations.

“We have developed a Construction Industry Capacity Development Programme, which is going to be integrated into all projects. We are therefore calling upon all stakeholders to ensure that, when designing a project, they incorporate a capacity-building element so that by the end of the project, the country retains the necessary skills and capacity,” said Khonje.

He also noted that CIRA will be conducting technical audits on infrastructure projects aimed at assessing compliance with standards and regulations.

CIRA was established under the Construction Industry Act of 2025 and is mandated to regulate, promote, and develop Malawi’s construction sector at the national level.

AG moves to block Chimwendo Banda’s judicial review over detention

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By Chisomo Phiri

The Attorney General (AG)  Frank Mbeta on Wednesday filed a preliminary application in the High Court’s Civil Division in Lilongwe, seeking to discharge the leave granted to Malawi Congress Party (MCP ) Secretary General (SG ) Richard Chimwendo Banda to commence judicial review proceedings and to set aside all interim reliefs issued in his favour.

The move follows the appointment of the AG by the Inspector General (IG) of the Malawi Police Service (MPS ) Richard Luhanga and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Fostino Maere to contest a High Court Civil Division order that allowed Chimwendo Banda to challenge his detention through judicial review.

An inter partes hearing on the matter is scheduled for today January 23, 2026.

Frank Mbeta


In a sworn statement, the AG argues that Chimwendo Banda failed to exhaust alternative remedies available to him before approaching the Civil Division.

He contends that the claimant could have invoked habeas corpus, a legal remedy specifically intended to summarily challenge unlawful detention.

“This remedy is designed for liberty grievances and is more appropriate than judicial review,” says the AG .

He further notes that Chimwendo Banda had already applied for bail in the High Court’s Criminal Division, which was expected to deliver its ruling on January 20, 2026.

The AG argues that an unfavourable ruling could have been appealed to the Supreme Court.

The AG also accuses Chimwendo Banda of suppressing material facts from the Civil Division.

He points out that the claimant did not disclose a Notice of Delivery of Ruling issued by the Criminal Division on January 13, 2026, confirming that the bail ruling would be delivered on January 20.

Mbeta says instead, Chimwendo Banda approached the Civil Division on January 14 to seek judicial review without revealing this information.

In urging the court to discharge the judicial review order, the AG further reminds the court that Chimwendo Banda had also approached the Supreme Court, where he was returned.

He argues that moving between the High Court’s Criminal and Civil Divisions, as well as the Supreme Court, amounts to an abuse of court processes, especially as the claimant was properly before the Criminal Division.

Chimwendo Banda is currently facing a charge of attempted murder.

Namalomba urges Airtel Malawi to improve service delivery

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By Chisomo Phiri

Minister of Information and Communications Technology,Shadric Namalomba, has called on Airtel Malawi to enhance the quality of its services in order to meet customer expectations.

He made the remarks during a surprise visit to Airtel Malawi’s head office in Lilongwe on Thursday, where he engaged management on ongoing service delivery concerns.

The minister stressed that the mobile service provider must take decisive steps to address customer complaints and improve overall service reliability.

Namalomba and Airtel’s Abdul Shaik



In response, Airtel Malawi Acting Managing Director (AMD) Abdul Shaik assured the minister that the company is actively working to resolve network challenges.

He explained that progress has been affected by foreign exchange constraints, which have limited the importation of critical network equipment required to expand and upgrade infrastructure.

“We can assure you that over the past few months we have been installing new sites and increasing network capacity to meet the demands of our growing customer base. Rest assured, we are addressing the matter,” said Shaik.

He added that improving network performance is an ongoing process and appealed for government support in securing additional foreign exchange allocations to accelerate infrastructure development.

Airtel Malawi Limited is one of Malawi’s leading telecommunications companies, providing mobile voice, data and mobile money services.

The company is a subsidiary of Airtel Africa Plc, a pan-African telecommunications group operating in multiple African countries.

Airtel Malawi commenced operations in 1999 and has since expanded its network coverage across the country, serving millions of subscribers.

In addition to telecommunications services, the company operates Airtel Money, one of Malawi’s largest mobile financial platforms, supporting digital payments, money transfers and financial inclusion.