Lilongwe Bridge Opens — but Vendors Quickly Move In

By Clement Magombo

The ribbon has been cut, the speeches have faded, and the new Lilongwe Bridge now stands open—promising to ease congestion and cut travel times for thousands of motorists. Yet, beneath this symbol of progress, a familiar scene has already emerged. Street vendors have begun displaying their merchandise along the newly constructed walkways, openly defying the clear caution issued by the Minister of Transport, Hon. Dr. Feston Kaupa.

During the official opening ceremony, Dr. Kaupa directly addressed the matter, emphasizing that the Ministry had engaged the Lilongwe City Council to prevent any trading activities on the bridge. “We trust the City Council will ensure that all vendors conduct their business in designated trading areas within the city,” he stated. However, that message seems to have been quickly overtaken by the realities of daily survival and the lure of passing traffic.

The swift occupation of the bridge walkways highlights a stark gap between policy and practice. For many vendors, the structure represents not just a crossing point but an opportunity—a steady flow of potential customers too crucial to ignore. Their actions reveal the deeper challenge of balancing enforcement with economic necessity, and of persuading informal traders that order and designated marketplaces ultimately serve the greater good.

The concrete and steel may now be firmly in place, standing as a testament to modern engineering and progress. But the harder task—instilling a shared sense of responsibility and respect for that progress—still lies ahead. As the first days of the new bridge unfold, so too begins the test of whether Malawi can bridge the gap between development and discipline.