In a display of support and commitment, His Excellency Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi and the First Lady, visited the SVTP construction site on Tuesday. The site, which includes the Chikwawa Water Treatment Plant, is a crucial part of this nation’s development. The Water Treatment Plant, currently under construction, will bring fresh water to Chikwawa and will be managed by the Southern Region Water Board. During his visit, the President also interacted with farmers from Kambadwe and Mwanaalilenji Cooperatives, discussing their readiness for commercial farming.
Since the commencement of the project in April 2020, different structures have been completed including 77 out of 80 drainage structures, 20 out of 28 traffic bridges, 18 out of 22 pedestrian bridges, 1 fish barrier structure, 1 cofferdam at Kapichira Dam, 1 flume, 5 siphons, over 20kms lined/paved, and 63 out of 108 animal escape routes, among others.
The Shire Valley Transformation Programme, a project of immense historical significance, was conceptualized in the 1940s. It was part of the government’s development blueprint of that time, known as the SHIRE VALLEY PROJECT.