Malawi-Zambia-Railways

APA-Lilongwe (Malawi) Malawi’s Central and Eastern African Railways (CEAR) Director of Marketing and Commercial Services, Wilfred Ali, on Friday said that the construction of the Mchinji railroad from central western Malawi into Chipata in eastern Zambia will be completed before the end of February this year.

He said on arrival from Zambia where he attended a meeting on the Nacala Development Corridor that 95 percent of construction works on both the railway line and the station terminal building have been completed.

"Shipping of goods going from and to these two countries will start as soon as this rail construction has been completed," he said.

He therefore bemoaned vandalism on the railway line as the greatest challenge in the development of the Nacala Corridor, which includes the Mchinji-Chipata railway, and connects to the Indian Ocean port of Nacala in Mozambique.

The rail project was a major economic target for both Zambia and Malawi because it would reduce the costs of transportation, he added.


Source:apanews.net/

Malawi-South Africa-World Cup 2010

APA-Lilongwe (Malawi) Malawian poet Stanley Kenani’s poem will be among the selected few poems to be displayed on billboards in
South Africa during the 2010 FIFA World Cup starting in June.

The poem, titled "Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu" in the Zulu language, roughly translates that "We Belong To Each Other" as human beings

The 25-word poem explains that the world is a large football pitch where nobody is alone and that life is a game for all, poor or rich to win, and we have to play it as one people.

According to Megan van den Heever, a media intern at Art for Humanity (formerly Artists for Human Rights) organisers, the aim of the project was to challenge xenophobic attitudes by bringing together artistic and poetic voices from around the world into a print portfolio.

"The art and poetry portfolio will be widely exhibited throughout South Africa and internationally," Van den Heever said.

He added that the art and poetry would also be featured in a public advocacy campaign on posters, billboards and banners in public places during the World Cup and beyond.

Source:apanews.net/

Malawi names preferred concessionaire for lake transport service

The Malawi government has named Portuguese multidisciplinary engineering group Mota Engil the preferred bidder for the concession to manage Malawi Lake Services (MLS), a State-owned entity that runs water transport services in the Southern African country.

Malawi Privatistisation Commission (MPC) CEO Jimmy Lipunga says that Mota Engil was named the preferred concessionaire after shrugging off competition from two other firms: ETC Marine and Jeilo Investments.

“Mota Engil attained the highest evaluated score for both the technical and financial [aspects] and has been designated the preferred bidder,” says Lipunga.

The MPC will soon start negotiations with Mota Engil on how the Portuguese company can improve its technical and financial proposals so that they are more responsive to the aims of Malawi’s privatisation programme.

In its proposal, Mota Engil is offering $3,5-million to acquire MLS’s existing vessels, with a commitment to having them rehabilitated within two years.

“The preferred bidder will also invest in two luxury yachts for the tourist market,” says Lipunga.

He also states that Mota Engil has made provision for Malawian participation of up to 20% in a special-purpose vehicle that will operate the MLS concession. The Malawi government will be entitled to 2,5% of gross revenue, while 1% will be directed towards supporting the government-owned Marine Training College.

Lipunga reports that the Portuguese firm is also planning to build a $10-million hotel in the Monkey Bay area, a tourism hub, in a joint venture arrangement.

Mota Engil initially ventured into the Malawi market as a road construction contractor.

The company is currently constructing the Nsanje inland port, which will be Malawi’s port of call in the proposed $6-billion Shire–Zambezi waterway project, expected to link landlocked Malawi to the Indian Ocean through the dredging of a canal in the Shire and Zambezi rivers.

The Portuguese firm will also manage the port.

Source:engineeringnews.co.za/