* Malawi Engineering Institution’s recent assessment recommended it remains closed until remedial works are undertaken as it is not fit for use
* This is in consideration of the safety of the public, who were using the bridge during MEI’s inspection in May
* The City Council has chosen to mislead the general public by claiming that the Malawi Engineers Institute have not yet released their final report
* Yet stakeholders, Zomba CSOs Network have copy of the report issued on May 30, 2025 detailing serious defects of the bridge
Analysis by Duncan Mlanjira
Following concerns raised by Zomba civil society organisations (ZCSOs) Network over serious defects of Mpondabwino Bridge over Likangala River in Zomba, which Malawi Engineering Institution (MEI) recommended that it should be closed — but Zomba District Council chose to defy this advice — it has been officially closed but members of the public are still using it.
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In its recent assessment of the bridge, whose report was issued on May 30, MEI recommended that it remains closed until remedial works are undertaken as it is not fit for use — in consideration of the safety of the public, who were using the bridge during MEI’s inspection.
Yesterday, the ZCSOs Network’s chairperson, Nicholas Mwisama issued a statement that accused Zomba City Council of misleading the general public by claiming that the MIE has not yet released their final report.
But the CSOs, armed with the report issued on May 30 — which Maravi Express is in possession with — demanded action, which included that law enforcers and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) should investigate “for possible theft and corruption between the contractor, the consulting engineers, and city council officials involved”.
This is in recognition that the alarming defects of the bridge does not match the cost of construction in 2021 at nearly K200 million.
In the report by MEI, based on its findings, the following recommendations were made:
i) The bridge should remain closed until remedial works are undertaken: The bridge should remain closed as it is not fit for use. This is in consideration of the safety of the users;
ii) Design Review: needs to be undertaken in order to decide on the required remedial works. A design review be initiated by the Zomba City Council in order to determine the extent of remedial works required;
So far, the deck slab is in unusable state. The decision whether to work on the deck slab only or the entire bridge structure need to be informed by a design review;
iii) The Contractor’s Defects Liability need to be reinstated: The Contractor was given the Substantial Completion Certificate from 1st September 2021. This means the date of release from liability was 31st August 2022.
The defects on the bridge came to light in December 2024, which is 2 years and four months later. It means these were hidden defects, which could not manifest in the defect’s liability period of one year.
However, from the inspection, it was noted that after removing the formwork, a black sheet paper remained near the spot of the exposed reinforcement. This was hiding the early flaws and mark of poor workmanship.
Similarly, the spot on the beam where reinforcement is exposed and the concrete is honeycomb should have been spotted on 1st September 2021 during the substantial completion inspection.
The client is therefore advised to consider commencing the process of revoking the Contractor’s liability release, so that remedial works are undertaken, on the basis of hidden poor workmanship.
In its executive summary, MEI — established under Section 3 of the Malawi Engineering Institution Act, 2019 (MEI Act 2019), as the sole authority for the regulation of engineering and the engineering profession, as well as allied disciplines in Malawi — takes note that the bridge was constructed in 2021 and around end of December 2024, “the social media was awash with concerns with the condition of the bridge”.
That promoted the MEI to institute an investigation into the matter, pursuant to Section 7(2)(g) of the Malawi Engineering Institution Act, 2019 and a taskforce to carry out the investigation was appointed on January 8, 2025 which commenced immediately after the appointment.
“The main stakeholders on the bridge construction project were Zomba City Council as the client; Shimmering Towers Construction as the contractor; and Jatula Consulting Engineers Ltd as the Consultant.
“The bridge was designed by Zomba City Council engineers, with a design review service provided by Jatula Consulting Engineers Ltd. The investigation focused on procurement compliance, construction deficiencies, quality control issues, the current status of the bridge and has provided recommendations.
“On procurement compliance, it was found that procurement procedures were generally followed, with the Zomba City Council awarding the contract to the contractor, Shimmering Towers Construction, as per the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority guidelines.
“Construction deficiencies which were identified included inadequate concrete strength; and violations of construction specifications. The concrete deck had exhibited a major significant deterioration, with exposed reinforcement bars and a compromised cover.
“On quality control, the investigating team examined project files and noted lack of essential material certifications and test results. The missing documentation included compressive strength tests for structural components.
“The investigating team established that the bridge was not suitable for use and should remain closed until necessary remedial works are taken. A comprehensive design review should be initiated to determine the extent of work required to make the bridge fit for use.
“It is recommend that the contractor’s defects liability be reinstated to address the defects that have emerged. The Contractor should be held liable as the exposed steel reinforcement and lack of adequate concrete cover was noted to be an old occurrence.
Wing wall which is too vertical
“This was ignored at the final inspection and handover of the bridge,” says MEI. whose one of its functions “is to investigate and monitor national emergencies or disasters or any other matter of public concern caused by, or likely to be caused by, an engineering product or service and recommend appropriate preventive, rehabilitative or other measures — as stipulated in Section 7(2)(g) of the Malawi Engineering Institution Act, 2019 (MEI Act 2019).”
In response to the concerns raised on December 28, 2024, after the social media exposed the condition of Mpondabwino bridge with images of crumbled spots of the concrete deck and exposing reinforcement bars, Zomba City Council closed the bridge and assured the general public that they will investigate the problem and will provide solutions.
But to date, the bridge remains in same state, thus the ZCSOs Network amplifying the looming dangers and calling for urgent action that requires intervention of the Central Government to fast track the reconstruction.
“It is literally a death trap, how they have resorted to continue using it when there are those visible weak holes can only be understood by themselves,” maintains the CSOs.
In their statement, the ZCSOs contend that the bridge’s defects are “not only a technical failure but also a clear reflection of gross negligence, weak oversight, and possible corruption on the part of duty bearers for this project”.
Pictures taken by MEI during inspection
“It is also a betrayal of public trust and violation of the right to safety and mobility, and ultimately a gross violation of the right to economic activities and development by thousands of people who, on daily basis, rely on the bridge to access affordable means of transport for their businesses.
“Sadly, as duty bearers, the City Council has chosen to mislead the general public by claiming that the Malawi Engineers Institute have not yet released their final report. We can only regard this as guilty conscious and an attempt to shield their liabilities and accountability to the public especially communities around Mpondabwino.
“This represents broken trust between citizens and the leaders whom they have always looked forward to realise their basic socio-economic aspirations.”
Thus the ZCSOs Netowork demands for the intervention of the ACB and immediate redress that includes “urgent repairs to the bridge with effective oversight to restore safety and easy mobility [and that the] central government through Ministry of Transport & Public Works to intervene and fast-track the process”.
“This is a life-line for struggling small-scale businesses due to expensive transport of goods and services as a result of the broken bridge.”
They also call upon the National Construction Industry Council (NCIC) “to make use of MEI’s findings and intervene to discipline the contractor (Shimmering Towers Construction) and the consulting engineers (Jatula Consulting Engineers Ltd) — who delivered this heart-breaking substandard bridge leading to loss of millions of public funds”.
They also demand for systemic reform by encouraging local councils and all duty bearers “to always remember that they are in positions of trust; that they hold fiduciary duties which they must discharge in a manner that sustains people’s trust”.
“They must demonstrate urgency on matters that expose citizens to life-threatening environmental shocks and strive to observe strict observations of regulations and procedures that were put in place to prevent loss of public resources.”
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Such poor workmanship is rampant in the construction industry, including contracts awarded by the Central Government to engineering firms in which contracts worth of millions of kwacha do not match what is delivered.
Zomba is not an isolated case and what the CSOs have raised should be taken up by residents of other parts of the country, since ZCSOs Network maintains that the issues it has raised directly hinge on people’s survival and “nobody is in a better position to protect our resources than ourselves for we shall have ourselves to pay the heavy price for failing to collaborate or engage with duty bearers”.
“We, therefore, call upon all residents and development stakeholders of Zomba to embrace active citizenship approach towards community development issues. It requires participation in initiatives that protect our resources.
“It also requires showing interest towards public projects in the local communities and engage with duty bearers to demonstrate transparency and accountability in the implementation of public projects.
“This will safeguard our resources and prevent future losses of public funds,” concluded the statement by ZCSOs chairperson, Nicholas Mwisama, who is Executive Director for Transparency Initiative.
