New Slaughterhouse Construction Sparks Concerns in Chitipa District
The Chitipa district slaughterhouse was constructed in Chitipa Central Constituency at Yamba Ward by Mazangala Building Construction Company at a cost of K39,550,072.00 under the GESD project.
Chitipa, Malawi - The newly constructed slaughterhouse in Chitipa District, funded under the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) project for 2022-2023, has raised concerns among members of the Butchery Association in the district due to their limited involvement in the project and the absence of some essential structures at the site, writes Wezzie Mwangonde.
In a recent interview, Chitipa Butchery Association Chairperson, Siasa Nyondo, expressed their dissatisfaction with their low participation in the construction process, revealing that none of their members were part of the project management committee.
Nyondo highlighted the absence of critical structures such as toilets, a manure bin, and an indoor tap water source at the site, leaving them with unanswered questions as they await the council's invitation to discuss the project's completion.
"The council only involved us during the meeting where they explained the project and promised that one of us would be part of the project management committee, which never happened. We only saw the newly constructed structure when it was already completed. The council has not invited us again, so we'll wait for them," said Nyondo.
Sydney Simwaka, Chitipa district's former Civil Society Organisations chairperson, revealed that the contractor completed the slaughterhouse construction within the stipulated period, from December 7, 2022, to March 7, 2023.
However, he couldn't provide a reason for the facility's lack of utilization. Simwaka urged the people of the district to take an interest and actively participate in projects constructed with public funds to promote transparency and accountability in development activities.
"The construction finished within the period, but the council would be in a better position to respond to why the slaughterhouse is not being utilized because we do not know the reasons. Perhaps we need to wait for the handover ceremony," explained Simwaka.
Ranson Simbeye, owner of Mazangala Building Construction, confirmed that the slaughterhouse's keys were handed over to the Chitipa district council at the end of September this year.
Simbeye clarified that the construction of toilets, houses, and maintenance of the feeder road to the slaughterhouse, which had numerous potholes, were not part of the contractor's responsibilities.
"We handed over the keys, and everything is now in the government's hands. According to the bill of quantity, the construction of toilets, houses at the site, and maintenance of the feeder road were not part of the contractor's scope of work," said Simbeye.
Addressing the situation, Chitipa District Council Director of Planning and Development, Jossen Tembo, noted that relevant committees, such as the Village Development and Main Market Committee, were engaged.
He highlighted that the delay in using the slaughterhouse is primarily due to the lack of electricity, vandalism of electrical wires, and the condition of the feeder road to the site.
He added that electricity and water provision were included in the project budget, and the council is currently seeking funds for road maintenance to enable the structure's use.
Tembo also mentioned that some vendors share concerns about the slaughterhouse's distance from the market, and efforts are being made to engage them amicably to address these concerns.
Richard Chapweteka, Chairperson of the National Local Governance Finance Committee Board, declined to comment, stating that he has not yet visited the site.
The Chitipa district slaughterhouse was constructed in Chitipa Central Constituency at Yamba Ward by Mazangala Building Construction Company at a cost of K39,550,072.00 under the GESD project.