Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema has bemoaned existence of “too many” roadblocks along the Malawi-Zambia roads, saying they slow down movement of trucks shipping essential goods and affect economic gains for both countries.

He said this yesterday in Mchinji District when he alongside President Lazarus Chakwera jointly presided over the opening of the $7.5 million (about K7.8 billion) Mchinji-Mwami One-Stop-Border-Post project financed by a loan from African Development Bank (AfDB), a grant from the European Union and other partners, including the World Bank.

Hichilema said reducing the time traffic moves through the one-stop border will not be enough to tackle movement of goods between the two countries due to roadblocks.

He said: “When trucks from Zambia cross this border into Malawi, maybe there is no problem, but I want to confess, Mr. President, when the trucks cross from Malawi into Zambia, we have problems on our side which need to be unlocked.

“What is it? These include roadblocks, too many roadblocks along our routes.”

Hichilema said while tightening security was important, there were other means to achieve the same.

Hichilema and Chakwera exchange symbolic keys

He said: “A stable Malawi is good for Zambia. A stable Zambia is good for Malawi… But the security concerns can be handled in different ways without putting so many roadblocks on our roads.

“Let’s allow the trucks to move quickly to add on to the value that we derive from this border post and on to the destination where the goods are going whether it’s a factory or warehouse in Malawi or in Zambia.”

Hichilema has since tasked internal affairs authorities in both countries to urgently address the issue.

He said: “Mr. President, I think that is a fair request to our able ministries of Home Affairs, but at the same time, we don’t want human trafficking, at the same time we don’t want [illicit] drugs moving amongst ourselves because it damages our children.

“I have no powers to instruct Malawi’s ministers, but I am asking through the President so Malawian ministers and Zambian ministers come to a table.”

The two Presidents said the project is economically crucial for the two countries.

Said Chakwera: “It reduces border delays substantially by slashing the time it takes to cross the borders by almost 70 percent, which in turn means a reduction in transit costs.

“ It promotes coordination in the facilitation of trade, the movement of persons and the improvement of security; and it accords dignity to our peoples in the quality of public services delivered to them as they move between our two countries.”

The Mchinji-Mwami One-Stop-Border-Post facility is the first of its kind for Malawi, but there are others coming up in Mwanza, Dedza and Songwe in Karonga.

Chakwera said construction of similar facilities at Dedza and Mwanza borders with Mozambique are almost complete.

“ Meanwhile, construction of Songwe border facilities on the border with Tanzania will commence next month while plans are underway to start construction of Muloza [in Mulanje] and Chiponde [in Mangochi] borderswithour neighboring country of Mozambique,” he said.

The Mchinji-Mwami One-Stop-Border Post project is part of the on-going Phase Four of the Nacala Road Corridor Development Project which the AfDB is supporting in Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia.

The project is funded by AfDB as part of efforts to facilitate ease of transportation of goods and services along the Nacala Corridor.

Phase One involved rehabilitation of 348 kilometres (km) road from Nampula to Cuamba in Mozambique and construction of 13km West Bypass Road in Lilongwe.

Phase Two involved rehabilitation of 360km road from Luangwa Bridge to Mwami Border in Zambia and Phase Three involves rehabilitation of 175km Cuamba- Mandimba-Lichinga Road in Mozambique. n

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