Advocacy Group Flags Substandard Bridge Projects in Zomba District
Zomba District Council Youth Chair Sanudi Mussa expressed serious concerns about public safety.
ZOMBA, Malawi — The Youth and Society Organisation (YAS), through its Zatikwana Movement, has raised concerns over the quality of bridges constructed under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in Traditional Authority Mwambo's area in Zomba District, writes Peter Davieson.
Following an inspection tour of four bridges on Friday, the advocacy group highlighted issues of poor construction standards and potential corruption in project implementation.
"We trained to identify weak projects and corrupt practices and find ways to address them," said Fabiano Black Junior, the Zatikwana Movement campaign champion for Zomba District.
"After touring Mwambo bridge projects, we have seen that most of the bridges are poorly built, which shows corrupt practices took part. Going forward, we will engage the community and duty bearers to address these issues."
The inspection revealed several troubling findings, including the use of wooden materials that may require replacement within a few years and projects that have remained incomplete for up to four years.
Zomba District Council Youth Chair Sanudi Mussa expressed serious concerns about public safety.
"These bridges are substandard, and they will need replacement soon, so this is worrisome," he said.
Mussa also criticised project officials for failing to involve local communities in the construction process.
The situation is further complicated by a lack of transparency in CDF management, according to Mussa.
"People are not aware of how CDF is managed, so we are calling for a meeting to discuss these issues," he added.
The Zatikwana Movement, which receives funding from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), aims to improve accountability in local development projects and strengthen community involvement in project oversight.
The group's findings highlight ongoing challenges in the implementation of constituency development projects and the need for greater transparency and quality control in local infrastructure development.
We need to demand accountability from duty bearers on vices like these. It is unfortunate that people usually get raw deals from their own money because of some few individuals who capitalize on unsuspecting citizenry. #feedup