* After experiencing the poor condition of roads during his journey from Blantyre to Lilongwe that took nearly six hours due to potholes and damaged sections
By Duncan Mlanjira
After experiencing the poor condition of the M1 Road on Tuesday during his journey from Blantyre to Lilongwe that took nearly six hours due to potholes and damaged sections, President Arthur Peter Mutharika reaffirmed government’s target to rehabilitate all roads damaged across the country by December 31, 2026.
This is reported by the Ministry of Transport & Public Works on its official Facebook account, quoting the President after his arrival in Lilongwe, saying: “I am coming from Blantyre, but the roads are not in good shape. I spent six hours on the road because of potholes, and I am not happy about this.”
The President addressing a crowd on Tuesday after arriving in Lilongwe
The President is reported to have also acknowledged efforts by the Ministry, saying its Minister, Jappie Mhango is dedicated in overseeing key transport infrastructure projects: “You have assured me that the roads will be rehabilitated by 31st December this year. I know you are a hardworking Minister, and it is important that we work together to improve the condition of roads in our country.”
The Ministry further reports that two weeks ago, Mhango launched an ambitious K39.6 billion nationwide road maintenance programme aimed at restoring efficiency, safety, and resilience across Malawi’s transport network following concerns over delays in rehabilitation works.
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In February, two major civil society groups — Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) and Minibus Owners Association of Malawi (MOAM) issued an urgent call for immediate repairs to a hazardous stretch of the M1 Road, especially the stretch between Zalewa and Chingeni.
They warned of very deep potholes near Phalula Trading Centre, describing it as endangering lives after some spate of traffic accidents linked to the deteriorating conditions.
In a joint statement, MHEN and MOAM emphasised that beyond safety risks, there were “frequent tyre punctures, damaged suspension systems, and escalating vehicle repair costs” as a growing economic burden on drivers.
“Failure to maintain critical road infrastructure constitutes negligence that should not be tolerated,” the statement said. “Road traffic accidents are not merely transport issues but a public health concern, placing unnecessary strain on health facilities and causing avoidable injuries, disabilities, and loss of life.”
The Roads Authority immediately responded to the concerns raised by the two stakeholder bodies, and in its statement, it explained that “the current state of many roads is largely as a result of limited funding for maintenance, following the non-remittance of fuel levy resources over the past three years” of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) administration.
In his State of the Nation Address (SONA) made in Parliament in February, President Mutharika indicated that his administration plans for major investments in transport infrastructure, saying the revenue from the Chingeni in Balaka and Kalinyeke in Dedza will be ringfenced for the maintenance of the tolled road.
On April 13, the Roads Fund Administration (RFA) announced at a press briefing that between January and March 2026, it-had-collected-K1-8-billion-collected-from-toll-gates-up-from-k920-million-recorded-during-the-same-period-last-year, representing a 96% increase.
This, it said, is an improved toll tariffs and fuel levy collections meant to strengthen road maintenance with the M1 Road being singled out as having experienced progressive deterioration over time due to early funding challenges that followed the introduction of tolling in 2021.
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