Details are emerging that at least 40 angry people in Mchinji district have blocked construction of the Mkanda-Kapiri Road, reportedly in their desperate attempt to push for speedy processing of their compensations by the Malawi Roads Authority.
They have not however indicated how much is their compensation in total.
Chairperson for a local committee specifically instituted to facilitate the payments, Daniel Chibwe confirms blocking the construction works to demand damages for their destroyed lands to pave way for the road project.
It is reported that the compensation process was expected to start in July this year following a reached agreement in 2021.
“Mchinji District Council officials have failed to give answers on our demand in the seven day ultimatum we gave them on September 1 this year through the District Commissioner’s office,” argues Chibwe.
Village Headman Kafera collaborates the story while calling on authorities to honour the promise they made; adding the current situation is putting people’s lives at risk.
He says the affected people are from four villages of Kafera, Kamphata, Lemekani and Chiwayula in Traditional Authority Mkanda.
We have further established that for three days now the angry residents have been sleeping on the construction site restricting passage for any worker and cars from Unik Construction Company.
Mchinji District Council spokesperson, Sarah Munthali is yet to comment while her counterpart at Roads Authority Portia Kajanga has asked for more time before commenting.
Government officialy launched construction works of the K4.3 billion 10 kilometer Mkanda-Kapiri Road in 2019.