The Nsanje Inland Port which cost Malawi about K15 billion has now been turned into a wedding venue.
According to pictures being shared widely on social media, people in Nsanje are using the port to hold wedding ceremonies.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government under late president Bingu wa Mutharika constructed the port in a bid to use the Shire-Zambezi waterway as a cheap way of transporting goods from Mozambique.
However, Mutharika failed to open the port in 2010 after Mozambique impounded a Malawi bound vessel which would have symbolically launched the port.
His brother Peter Mutharika promised to open the port but he is yet to do so four years after becoming president since Mozambique maintains that the project is not viable.
In 2016, Mozambique withdrew from a Memorandum of Understanding with Malawi and Zambia after a feasibility study showed that the waterway was neither viable nor sustainable in the short, medium and long term.
Mozambique said the Shire-Zambezi waterway is not commercially navigable in its natural state hence cannot reduce transport costs in terms of time and money.
But Malawi Government told the local media last year that efforts to make the project a reality will continue.
This is sad really. Even if the port may never see any use near a port, this is acceptance that we can divert this to a different use. Let it be a monument, a world class monument for that matter but not a wedding venue.
The problem is we rush to do things to become popular. Why a proper feasibility study was not conducted prior to commissioning of the project. How can a project concerning neighbouring countries omits them carelessly like that. Populism has its consequences
For to everything there is time and season to every purpose, let’s wait with hope and keep on praying for our land, at appointed time God will turn to us
Never give up in thy amazing vision
Poor malawi
Poor africa, poor Malawi. Bright dreams & long terms solutions to our economic problems always difficult to realise them. Dziko LA tsoka ili.