Speaking on Wednesday when the grouping met Neno District Commissioner, its interim chairperson Samson Njolomole said essential services delivery in the district has been compromised due to inaccessibility of the district.

"We came here to enquire about the delay to commence the construction of the road and we are glad with what our DC has told us," said Njolomole.

He disclosed that the District Commissioner, Hudson Kuphanga told them that the road commencement was being delayed due to the current rains and that the contractor was yet to identify a local sub contractor for skills exchange development.

The interim chairperson while buying the sentiments by the DC, he emphasized that they will mobilise themselves to meet the State President should the April-May dates elapse without the road construction works starting.

In his response, Kuphanga says the contractor, China Geo, has already identified a local sub contractor, which is a requirement and that works will resume at the end of the rainy season.

"I met the contractor and the resident engineer a week ago on this issue, and I am happy to report that they have already started fixing water ways channels and that come April, they will start putting up the tar," he said.

He however expressed worry that the road will not be the 20 kilometres as agreed in the contract but will rather be between 16 to 18 kilometres.

The DC said that "the road will not be as agreed since the people here demanded a wider road with bends cut off, so this has changed the initial design let alone skyrocketing of prices of materials."

Nonetheless, he said that he has engaged the central government for a nod to shift the road so that it starts from the Neno Boma going towards where the construction works is starting, at Mwalaoyera, an appeal he is yet to get an answer.

On Wednesday, a truck carrying relief items got stuck, forcing people to head lift the items while ambulances also struggled to make their way to different healthy centres with patients and medical supplies.

The road is to a tune of six billion Malawi Kwacha.