The development has led to the poor state of the grounds at the border post where vehicles, including trucks, get stuck in mud especially now when it’s rainy season.

“We struggle a lot especially in the rainy season. There is so much mud and sanitation at the post is a big problem.

“It is sad that this is happening at a place where government is generating billions of Kwacha from here,” said Jonas Msonkho a taxi driver who operates between Dedza town and the border post.

The situation compelled minister of Transport and Public Works, Ralph Jooma, and his Trade, Industry and Tourism counterpart Salim Bagus to visit the border post.

“We have been receiving complaints from people that the environment at the border is bad. We have seen this for ourselves.

“We expect that construction work will start in May this year but for the meantime in conjunction with MRA, we will bring temporary measures to rehabilitate the border (post),” said Bagus acknowledging that the one-stop border post issue still begs more bilateral discussions between Mozambique and Malawi governments.

There are reports that the Mozambican government has refused to commit to a one-stop-border post project on basis Malawi would be the only meaningful beneficiary.

The disagreement has led to a mutual understanding that each country runs its own post as the Mozambicans do not want to invest in a project benefiting Malawi alone.

Bicycle taxi operator Chrispine Aligundiya told Zodiak a week ago "the border post has become a shameful gateway into our country".