Roads partially reopen in Nkhotakota

By Michael Martin//MALAWI

●Government reverses school opening delay

The Roads Authority has announced that its contractor CR20 has successfully concluded repair works on Ling’ona Bridge along the M005 road in Nkhotakota District.

According to the Authority, the road has now been declared passable, restoring an important transport link for road users in the area.

However, the Authority has clarified that repair works are still ongoing at Mawira Bridge, which was also damaged by recent heavy rains.

Despite the continued works at Mawira Bridge, small vehicles are currently able to cross easing movement for residents and essential services.

Both Ling’ona and Mawira bridges were washed away following a heavy downpour that hit Nkhotakota a few days ago.

The floods have caused widespread damage to infrastructure across the district, disrupting transport, education and daily activities.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has announced a reversal of its earlier decision to delay the opening of Term Two for some schools in Nkhotakota.

The initial decision was communicated through a press release dated January 3, 2026, and signed by Secretary for Education, Science and Technology, Dr. Ken Ndala.

In that statement, the Ministry had indicated that public schools in Nkhotakota would not open on January 5, 2026, as previously scheduled.

Instead, schools were expected to open on January 12, 2026, to allow time for repairs, cleaning, and coordination with disaster response teams.

The delay was aimed at ensuring that learning environments were safe and conducive following the floods.