The grouping's representative Laston Banda told Zodiak Online on Monday after serving Thyolo district commissioner and other stakeholders with a notice that they are forced to take this route following reluctance by the government and company to compensate them.

Banda alleges that the project left their land destroyed while houses developed cracks though the government and company have been reluctant to compensate them.

He further claims, that from Masambanjati to Thekerani, only few people in trade centres got compensated.

"People in this area have been looked down on as if they are not citizens of Malawi because their land and houses were destroyed without any compensation from Mota Engil. They have just given compensations to those in trade centres.

"It is true that as concerned people they have agreed to close the road as I have said," he said.

Motal-Engil spokesperson Thomas Chafunya, said Roads Authority was better placed to clarify on the matter.

RA publicist Portia Kajanga, said the claim will be investigated though files show that government paid everyone right from kilometre zero to Bangula.

"I must say that we are very surprised because of this claim since throughout the period we have been working on this road, we have assessed, evaluated and paid all the people that were verified.

"And during the construction, we maintained the existing alignment. We did not divert from what was already there as the road. We just developed the same to make it a road,” she said.

Meanwhile, Thyolo District Commissioner Douglas Moffat, indicated that the concerned locals will not be allowed to disturb traffic since the case is in court.

"Closing of the road I think is misplaced. We cannot inconvenience the general public simply because we are not happy with the administrative arrangement that are there at the court of law.

“That is not acceptable and cannot be condoned. And that is my advice and what I have already told those people who have written that memo," Moffat said.