Will The Dream Of Bingu To Construct Nsanje Inland Port Be Fulfilled?

By Mabvuto Kalawa, Correspondent, Malawi News Network

The late President Professor Bingu wa Mutharika, may his soul rest in peace, envisioned a Malawi that was developed and self-reliant.

During his tenure, Malawi recorded abundant food production and even exported rice to Haiti.

In 2006, the Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, recognized Malawi as a food basket after the country posted a bumper harvest.

He also presided over major infrastructure projects, including the Nkhoma Road, Ntchisi Road, and the Karonga-Chitipa Road, among others.Nsanje Man burned to death days after prison release

One of the flagship projects he initiated was the Nsanje Inland Port, which was intended to transform Malawi’s trade and logistics.

Fourteen years after his death in 2012, the port remains unfinished, and the question many Malawians are asking is whether any sitting president will complete it.

For communities in the Lower Shire districts of Nsanje and Chikwawa, the issue is not abstract. It is about jobs, trade, and turning Nsanje into a viable economic hub.

Malawi News Network spoke to residents about the future of the Nsanje Inland Port.

Mr. Matheas Mtima, a businessman at Nyamithutu Trading Centre in Nsanje, said the port generated high expectations when it began.

“When the project was being established we were very happy because it could have transformed not only our district but the country as a whole,” he said.

He added that the port could have improved livelihoods in Nsanje and eased the country’s foreign exchange challenges, but progress has stalled.Walter Nyamilandu Manda: The People’s Champion Poised for Victory in Nsanje

“Presidents have been ruling this country, but with a deaf ear and eyes that refuse to see. It is as if they have buried their heads in the sand,” he said.

Robert Chilambo of Balaka said that after former President Joyce Banda took office, the project was not prioritized.

Read also: Lwara laments over 3 months of no aid to Malawi

Read also: Man In Cooler For Robbery

Read also: MDF soldiers accused of beating immigration workers at Khwawa border

“We were surprised to see the abandonment of a project that could have improved the well-being of Malawians,” he said. “Look now, the port is still there and no meaningful progress has been done.”

Agnes Lupiya of Chikwawa said people in both districts feel let down.

“As people of Chikwawa and Nsanje, we are disappointed. The current and past presidents have shown no interest in the port,” she said.

“We have seen three regimes come and go, yet none showed commitment. If the port was operational, it would not only benefit Nsanje but the entire Southern Region and other SADC countries. We are worried: will this port ever be in use?” she concluded.NGORA Urges Nsanje NGOs to Align With Malawi 2063 for Greater Community Impact

Another businesswoman operating in Nsanje described the situation as deeply disappointing.

“Was this the dream of the late Bingu alone?” she asked.

She appealed to the current government, led by President Arthur Peter Mutharika, to reconsider the project.

“If it was constructed, it could improve Malawi’s economy and create employment for the youth,” she said.

She also called on current members of Parliament to include funding for the port in the next national budget.

The core question remains: Was the Nsanje Inland Port only the dream of the late Bingu wa Mutharika, or is it a dream for all Malawians?

Many citizens say it is a national project that requires collective action.

They are urging civil society organizations to support communities in the Lower Shire to keep the issue alive.

With strategic investment, the port could become a transformative development for Malawi and for the region.

Authorities are being asked to think about it, act on it, and finish what was started.

Read also: Chakwera arrives from China-Africa Summit

Read also: Ansah to Spearhead Malawi’s Economic Revival

Read also: Police detectives corner filling stations robbers, nab five.