By Cedric Nkungula
At a time when the world is transitioning from using fuel propelled cars to electric ones, the President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera led administration has sourced US$300,000 from the World Bank to be used for conducting feasibility studies for electric vehicle usage in the country.
Speaking during the opening of the 2024/2025 budget meeting at the fourth meeting on the 50th session of Parliament in Lilongwe on Friday, 9 February 2024 Chakwera said the money will also be used to develop regulations and pilot charging points for electric vehicles and electric buses, with the necessary tax waivers to incentivize motorists to make the transition.
The Malawi leader explained that an investor has already been identified to bring to the country 50,000 electric motorbikes.
President Chakwera said the move will not only help in creating jobs for our youth but that will also generate wealth through the accruement of carbon credits.
“It is no secret that the world has already began transitioning to more sustainable electric vehicles, and it would be a lapse in vision for us not to tap into such innovations. For this reason, we are diligently preparing policies for a conducive environment for electric vehicles. With an initial supply of 300,000 Dollars from the World Bank, my administration will conduct feasibility studies, develop regulations, and pilot charging points for electric vehicles and electric buses, with the necessary tax waivers to incentivize motorists to make the transition,” he said.
“In the same vein, an investor has also been identified to bring 50,000 electric motorbikes that will not only create jobs for our youth, but that will also generate wealth through the accruement of carbon credits. That is progress, and we will build on it to keep our recovery going.”
Updating Malawians on strides being taken to upgrade the transport sector, President Chakwera said his administration continues to prioritize the rehabilitation of rail to open up Malawi’s access to corridors that link markets and the rehabilitation of roads for moving goods and people around Malawi more easily.
However, said the president, I must state that in the past few months, the transport sector bore the full brunt of the much-needed devaluation, scarcity of foreign exchange, fuel and cement shortages and fixed costs contracts which have led to contractors suspending work.
“Thankfully, my administration has since concluded discussions with most contractors and work for most projects has resumed,” he emphasized.
