Ministry of Transport and Public Works spokesperson, Maganizo Liwewe has told Zodiak Online on Wednesday that the exercise will start soon after conclusion of processes to transfer funds to their operational accounts for procurement of start up tools.

Liwewe has explained that the in the new arrangement, district councils will be receiving funding from the Roads Fund Administration to pay the communities working on the roads once certified by the Roads Authority within a period of 28 days after completion.

"The councils are expected to start carrying out the exercise this month once the processes to transfer funds to their operational accounts for procurement of start up tools have been concluded," he confirmed.

Commenting on the development, Thyolo District Council vice chairperson, Hudson Ovira has lauded government for the arrangement which would ensure quality work due to close monitoring and also empower communities economically.

"We have welcomed the idea because in  the past, workers were coming from elsewhere who were just doing shortcuts. There was no any proper monitoring. But now, we will be able monitoring our own people and then the money will also be here to benefit the district," Ovira said.

Similarly, Road Safety Alert Foundation Executive Director, Joel Jere has commended the government for decentralising the works, adding "it will ensure safety for the road users."

A Zodiak Online observation on the M2 (Limbe-Thyolo-Muloza) roadside shows that bush has overgrown, a development which has potential to expose motorists to accidents expecially in sharp bends.