By Edwin Mauluka

Nsanje Central MP Francis Kasaila has urged the Ministry of Transport and Public Works to review the country’s outdated road designation guidelines to enable the Roads Authority to develop and maintain more roads.

Kasaila argued that the current designations no longer reflect Malawi’s growth.

“Designation of roads was done sometime back,” he noted. “At that time, the level of development in this country was not what it is today. Therefore, there is a need for most of our roads to be re-designated so the Roads Authority can take care of them.”

He added that the Roads Authority now receives more resources — through toll gates and the fuel levy via the Road Fund Administration — which could support the upgrading of additional roads.

Responding, Minister of Transport and Public Works Feston Kaupa welcomed the proposal, saying it aligns with the government’s renewed focus on decentralization through the MWK5 billion Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

“The CDF will support various development projects within constituencies, and that will require fresh identification and designation of roads to guide where resources should be directed,” Kaupa said.