A dangerous stretch of the Mzuzu-Karonga Road could soon face a shutdown of truck operations as drivers warn that its worsening condition is putting lives at risk.
The Truck Drivers Union of Malawi has asked government to urgently fix Mzuzu–Karonga Road at Chiweta Hills or face a suspension of truck operations on the route.
In a letter to the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, the union describes the section as deplorable and an imminent danger to all road users, especially drivers of heavy goods vehicles.
The letter, signed by TDU Secretary General Grey Chisale, says the road has severe potholes and collapsed edges that make it impossible for two trucks to pass each other safely.
It adds that sharp bends and steep slopes have no proper road markings, guardrails or signage, and that falling rocks and mudslides block the road during rains.
The union says several accidents and near-misses have been reported by its members, blamed on brake failure on the steep gradient and poor road surface.
It singled out Namiashi and the S-Corners before Mchenga Coal Mine, where loose chippings, stones and heavy dust cover drivers’ windscreens as they accelerate uphill.
It noted that this reduces visibility and causes trucks to lose traction.
The union stresses that the road is a strategic corridor linking Malawi to Tanzania and is vital for fuel and cargo imports.
TDU is asking the ministry to carry out an urgent safety assessment and emergency patching or grading of the worst spots at Chiweta, install warning signs, guardrails and clear lane markings, and speed up full rehabilitation of the section.