Residents of Lilongwe, Malawi's capital, are facing significant challenges due to ongoing road construction projects. The 2.2-kilometre Town Hall-Crossroads road and the 8.5-kilometre Kaunda-Chendawaka Road, aimed at improving infrastructure, have instead brought prolonged delays, dust, congestion, and blocked access. For businesses like mobile money vendor Memory Macheso, the construction has resulted in a substantial decline in customers, affecting her livelihood.
The K13.5 billion Town Hall-Crossroads project, contracted to China Jiangxi International, began in May 2025 and was initially scheduled for completion in May 2024. However, the project has missed its deadline, causing frustration among residents and businesses. The construction has cut through one of Lilongwe's busiest commercial corridors, resulting in diversions, dust, open trenches, and blocked access routes. Several businesses have lost convenient access to their premises, while others have incurred additional costs due to the dust.
The disruption has affected not only businesses but also residents, with motorists and pedestrians facing significant challenges. At Game Complex, several businesses have lost convenient access to their premises, while others have had to increase cleaning costs due to the dust. An employee at an electronic shop reported that staff now clean the premises several times a day, highlighting the impact of the construction on daily operations.
The National Bank's Area 3 Service Centre has also been affected, with the bank's marketing and corporate affairs manager, Akossa Mphepo Hiwa, stating that prolonged construction has made access more difficult for customers and staff. The bank has documented losses associated with the disruption but declined to disclose the figures, citing business confidentiality. The bank has encouraged greater use of digital platforms, ATMs, and other branches to mitigate the impact.
The Ministry of Transport and Public Works acknowledges that the delays are affecting businesses and residents. The Town Hall-Crossroads project is now scheduled for completion on December 30, 2026, with the ministry attributing much of the delay to financial constraints. The spokesperson, Chikondi Chimala, stated that the ministry has held meetings with contractors and the Roads Authority to accelerate the works.
The Kaunda-Chendawaka road project, valued at K70 billion, involves upgrading about 8.5 kilometres of road from a single carriageway to a four-lane highway. However, the project has faced significant obstacles, including the relocation of Escom power lines, Water Board pipes, and OCL fibre lines. A Roads Authority project report in January 2026 put physical progress at only 10 percent, with the report citing foreign-exchange shortages affecting the importation of construction materials.
The environmental cost of the disruption is also a concern, with residents and businesses facing significant challenges due to the dust and noise. The government now expects part of the road to be completed by December, with other sections following in May next year. The ministry has warned that it may consider bringing in another contractor to complete sections of the stretch if progress is slacking.
Key points
- The road construction projects have caused significant disruptions to residents and businesses in Lilongwe, with delays, dust, and congestion becoming a daily challenge.
- The projects, valued at K13.5 billion and K70 billion, have missed their deadlines, resulting in frustration among residents and businesses.
- The government has acknowledged the impact of the delays and is working to accelerate the works, with the possibility of bringing in another contractor if progress is slacking.
