By Vincent Khonje

Mchinji, April 28, Mana: Communities in Ndawambe, Mchinji, located near Zambia border, have, for the first time, gained access to a Malawian mobile network, opening up many new opportunities.

Through the Last Mile Rural Connectivity Project, a mobile tower has been installed in the area, allowing residents to access services through the TNM network.

Traditional Authority (T/A) Ndawambe hailed the landmark development, noting that beyond improving communication, the network will enable residents to conduct electronic transactions.

“I am very happy that this development has come to my area, where people have suffered for a very long time. Before the tower was installed, we relied solely on Zambian networks. Now, with the tower in place, we have a mobile network which has opened many possibilities,” said the chief.

Aspiring Member of Parliament for Mchinji West, John Paul, recalled meeting T/A Ndawambe last year, during which the lack of mobile network services was raised as a major concern.

“Since 1994, when democracy came, we have never had a chance to access a cellular phone network. I approached the government to request network services, and Huawei was selected to deliver the project. Today, we are happy that the network is now operational. It is now up to us to take care of the tower,” said Paul.

Principal Secretary for E-Government in the Ministry of Information and Digitalization, Stephen Mjuweni, said the Last Mile Rural Connectivity Project has, since 2024, facilitated the installation of mobile towers in five hard-to-reach areas of Mchinji, Mzimba, Nkhata Bay, Mwanza, and Chitipa.

“Towers like this one in Mchinji will benefit many sectors such as education, health, and agriculture, and even offer improved leisure opportunities. We are happy that this tower has connected people who previously had no access to a Malawian network,” said Mjuweni.

The Last Mile Rural Connectivity Project aims to provide universal access to telecommunication services in rural Malawi by constructing mobile network towers in underserved areas.