A road trip meant to celebrate adventure, friendship, and Africa’s breathtaking landscapes turned into a frustrating experience in Malawi, after a Tanzanian tourist took to social media to complain about poor road conditions, bureaucracy, and frequent police roadblocks.
Daniel Mlabwa, a Tanzanian national, has sparked debate online after sharing a detailed account on X, formerly Twitter, describing the challenges he and his travel companions faced while driving through Malawi during a cross-continental road trip.
In a series of posts, Mlabwa explained that last year he, his wife, and friends embarked on what he described as a “brilliant idea”, driving their 30-plus-year-old Mercedes vehicles from Dar es Salaam to the southernmost tip of Africa. The ambitious journey covered 13,663 kilometres, lasted 36 days, and passed through seven countries.
The journey began on December 12, when the group left Dar es Salaam at around 4PM, opting for a night drive to reach the Tanzania-Malawi border by morning. However, challenges started early, as they suffered two tyre punctures within the first 700 kilometres, using up half of their spare tyres before reaching Mbeya.
Mlabwa said clearing the Tanzania side at the Kasumulu border was smooth, but entering Malawi proved difficult. He described the process as bureaucratic and inefficient, claiming they were forced to hire an agent and were delayed when a cashier reportedly left the office for lunch, leaving them stranded for about 45 minutes.
“After all the drama, we were cleared after about four to five hours,” he wrote.
He further outlined the requirements to enter Malawi, including a passport, a yellow fever card, a USD 20 road access fee paid in cash per car, a carbon tax paid in Malawian Kwacha, and COMESA insurance.
Mlabwa also criticised Malawi’s reliance on physical documents, saying that despite insurance verification being possible digitally, police insisted on hard copies, leading to wasted time and a fine.
The group initially planned to overnight in Lilongwe but cancelled the booking due to delays, opting to head for Nkhata Bay instead. However, Mlabwa said severe potholes and countless police checkpoints along the 250-kilometre stretch significantly slowed them down.
“We wish someone told us about the potholes and countless checkpoints,” he posted, noting that the journey took seven to eight hours and forced them to sleep in Mzuzu at around 1AM.
Although Day Three offered scenic views and showcased Malawi’s natural beauty, Mlabwa said the group had lost interest in visiting Lilongwe due to repeated police stops and time-wasting. He added that they were fined again despite Malawi having recently launched a USSD system to verify COMESA insurance.
Heavy rains further delayed their journey before they eventually exited Malawi through the Mchinji, Mwami border, which Mlabwa described as relaxed and efficient. Comparing Malawi to Zambia, Mlabwa praised the professionalism of Zambian police, saying roadblocks were minimal and officers did not waste travellers’ time.
Reacting to the posts, renowned Malawian social media influencer Pemphero Mphande expressed frustration and apologised on behalf of the country.
“Malawi is such a disgrace and so backwards with the police who even cause traffic on highways by stopping people. You don’t see police in other countries stopping people every five kilometres in the city. I am sorry you had a bad experience, Daniel,” Mphande commented.
Many Malawians online echoed similar concerns, arguing that poor road infrastructure and policing practices directly affect tourism, while others called for urgent reforms to make the country more welcoming to visitors.
