Traffic robots in three key locations in Lilongwe — Area 10, Area 18 and Chitukuko — have been off for at least two months now, leaving motorists, cyclists and pedestrians to navigate some of the city’s busiest junctions without the usual signal control.

The affected intersections are among the most heavily used in the city, linking residential areas to commercial and administrative hubs, and the prolonged outage has left road users increasingly frustrated.

The Lilongwe City Council says it is aware of the malfunction and is working to have the robots restored.

Speaking in an interview with Capital FM, the Council’s Public Relations Officer, Tamara Chafunya, said the local authority is treating the matter with urgency, noting that restoring the lights will help ease the flow of traffic in the city.

“The Council is working tirelessly to restore the robots to ease the flow of road users in the city,” Chafunya said.

She did not, however, give a specific timeline for when the repairs would be completed.

The extended downtime has left many road users worried about safety, particularly at junctions that see heavy traffic during peak hours.

Francis Bayson, a Kabaza (motorcycle taxi) operator who plies the affected routes, told Capital FM that the malfunctioning robots are creating serious challenges for those who rely on the roads daily.

He said the absence of functioning traffic lights has made the intersections more chaotic, with drivers and riders often forced to negotiate right of way informally — a situation he believes is putting lives at risk.

“This is presenting a number of challenges and potentially placing our lives at risk of accidents,” Bayson said.

He appealed to the Lilongwe City Council to expedite the restoration of the robots, arguing that timely action would go a long way in minimizing the risk of accidents at the affected junctions.