Some of the concerned villagers and chiefs told Zodiak Online this week that in most cases, the projects are construction works which now stand as ruins.

“Construction of health facilities, maternity blocks, school blocks and bridges, for example, have stalled.

“Our people are struggling to access the services they hoped they would with construction of these stalled structures,” said Senior Chief Kachindamoto.

Kachindamoto and his counterpart, Kachere, described the delay by Dedza district council to finalize the development projects as worrisome.

The chiefs observed that its years now since projects in question are at Bema, Magomero, Tsoyo and Chinkombero and hoped the projects would now be finalized for people to access the health services they meant to access initially.

“Pregnant women are forced to travel long distances to the district hospital to deliver. That would have been history had these projects been completed on time. Women are going through a tough time now,” Senior Chief Kachere said.

They further said, construction of the district mortuary was abandoned and people are forced to collect the remains of their loved ones as soon as they die since the current mortuary accommodates only three bodies.

Dedza District Commissioner, Emmanuel Bulukutu, acknowledges the need to finalize the said projects but says the council requires K150m to do the work.

“We have only managed to find K26m. As Dedza district council, with the funds we current have, we will prioritize construction of a district mortuary and Mayani market,” said Bulukutu.

The majority of the unfinished projects such as school blocks, markets, bridges, and maternity clinics begun during the 2015-2016 financial year.