Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Climate Change, Werani Chilenga, has expressed satisfaction with the progress made under Malawi Rural Electrification Project (Marep) Phase 9 in Chikwawa District.
Speaking during a tour of the project sites in Chikwawa, Chilenga said they decided to inspect the project to appreciate the progress and report the findings to Parliament.
“So far, so good. We are very impressed with the way the Ministry of Energy is implementing the project,” said Chilenga.
He emphasized that the project is very significant to the development of the country.
“This project is long overdue because of some challenges which the Ministry met in terms of forex acquisition and other challenges, we are glad that those issues have been sorted, and now the project is proceeding very well,” he said.

Deputy Director of Marep in the Ministry of Energy, Francisco Chingoli, concurred that although there is good progress now, the project encountered some challenges due to changes that have occurred since the initial Bill of Quantities and designs were made in 2020 when phase 9 of the project started.
“The issues have been resolved amicably with the assistance of traditional leaders, members of Parliament, and Village Development Committees,” he said.
He then provided further insight into the project.
“We are targeting more than 1,000 households in Chikwawa District in Marep Phase 9…We have 13 sites in the district,” he said.

He added that four sites, including Mphedza and Chapomoka in the area of Traditional Authority Ngabu, have already been completed and across the country, 468 sites are being constructed, with each site having the capacity of electrifying not less than 50 households.
Group Village Headman Chapomoka 2 commended government for the development, stating this will transform the lives of the people in the village.
“This development is instrumental in overcoming obstacles that we were facing to access services which need electricity like electric maize mills, others have already started plans to open maize mills now that the electrification process of our village is almost complete,” he said.

In Chikwawa, the electricity distribution network covers Chapomoka Under-five clinic, Mikalango Under-five clinic, Saindi Primary School, Chapomoka Primary School and Mikalango Agriculture Extension Planning Area, among many others.

By Leah Malimbasa, MANA