FROM A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER’S POINT, SHARED WITH PERMISSION GRANTED
A road built to the highest standards in Malawi would cost about K160m per kilometre at the max nowadays. The K90m per kilometre would be a road where traffic volumes could be very low.
If the road in question is the Lilongwe Old Airport – Kasiya one, then I wonder how they came up with that K39 billion for the 95 km. As a Consultant myself, I would have accepted something like K20 billion. Not that crazy figure. Of course if my memory serves me right, the existing is low and requires raising to fight off drainage problems, but the additional K19 billion would build us another 95km road.
In Malawi, we don’t buy gravel – which is the main component that will be used to build that road before surfacing. We only buy crushed stone which is used to construct the base. The only cost incurred in procurement of gravel is the mining process and a small compensation fee. If the average hovered at K260 million per km, I would have been more than pleased knowing we are getting a road at the right value. Trust me, a couple of billions will exchange hands at the end of the project. In a situation where Civil Works Contractors compete fairly, MOTA ENGIL would not be ranked the best Contractor, sadly, they are politically appointed. I’m fed up!
Mwamva inu @ Ackson Kalaile Banda, Jeith Mkwapatira Banda, Leon Matanda, Thomas Chafunya, Joloji Salijeni, Alick Kavikumba Nyasulu, Foster F. Fundi, Eisenhower Mkaka, Hon Jacob Hara, Rhino Chiphiko, Juliana Lunguzi and anyone who may share a concern.
Malawi Ace 
[…] the natural gas or petroleum industry, and my contention is based purely on rebuttals such as these – in this case of the corrupt practices in the construction sector in Malawi. But having said […]
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