Malawi Government has launched a $ 50 million Kamuzu Barrage upgrading and other related civil works Monday at Liwonde where a new bridge will be constructed alongside the current one.
According to Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Dr. Allan Chiyembekeza said; Kamuzu Barrage, a water level regulator in the Shire River, was opened in 1965 and has been in use over the years also as bridge.
He said the rehabilitation and construction of the new bridge is part of the 15 years World Bank funded Shire River Basin Management Programme under Water related Infrastructure component.
Norplan of Norway will work as supervising consultant while Conduril Engenharia of Portugal has been awarded to do the construction civil works.
Supply and installation of barrage gates, weed boom and weed collector as part of weed management on the Shire river will be done by Italian company, CMC Di Ravenna.
In his remarks, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Sandram Maweeru, said some contractors have a tendency of extending project period.
“No extension of work because of the sensitivity of the work. No room to wait and this is the lifeline of our country,” Maweru warned.
Engineering consultant, Johan Skorve, said 14 new gates will be installed to replace the old ones to continue regulating flows of Shire River to check flooding downstream and levels of Lake Malawi while ensuring stable electricity generation.
