Concerned citizens from Neno under the banner Mwanza-Neno-Tsangano Road Advocacy Group have petitioned Parliament demanding government to construct a 136-kilometre Mwanza-Neno Tsangano Road in the District.

According to Chairperson of the Group Robert Ngayiyaye, people from Neno feel neglected as the District has no tarmac road for about 57 years since Malawi attained her independence.

In an interview, Ngayiyaye said previous governments have been pledging to construct the road but nothing has happened on the ground ever since.

“We have been the only district for 57 years that has no tarmac road, and you can imagine that once the tarmac is built then most of the developments will come.

“It’s difficult to reach Neno these days, especially when now it’s raining, nobody can really go there that’s why we have petitioned Parliament to set aside funds for construction of this road,” said Ngayiyaye.

And upon receiving the petition, Member of Parliament for Neno North Thoko Tembo has assured the concerned citizens that their petition will be presented in the august House.

“My word to them is that they have come to the right place, Parliament is a place where people’s grievances are heard.

“We will present the petition to the right people so that it is presented in Parliament and hopefully without action, we should see something happening on the ground and their demands being met,” said Tembo.

The 136-kilometres road is said to cost about K3 billion to be fully completed.

The Advocacy Group has since given authorities 21 days to respond and work on their grievances.