M1-Road Rehabilitation Workers Goes On Strike

Workers for China CJIC-JXTEG rehabilitating the M1 road starting from Kamuzu International Airport Junction to Kasungu, are staging a sit-in to express discontent with low wages and difficult working conditions.

Some workers claim they are getting K60,000 to K150,000 per month, alleging that non-classified foreign workers are being favoured in payment.

The Contractor China CJIC-JXTEG has requested more time before commenting on the development which he described as internal and sensitive.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, Watson Maingo, requested more time before committing, saying he is not aware of the development.

“Let me find out, otherwise I don’t have any knowledge about that strike,” Maingo said.

In June last year (2022) the state president Lazarus Chakwera launched the M1 road rehabilitation project which was pegged at EUR 95.5m from the European Investment Bank in 2019.