The Transporters Association of Malawi (TAM) has urged Members of Parliament (MPs) to lobby for policies that support local transporters, saying the current business environment has become increasingly difficult for the industry.
TAM Director Frank Banda made the appeal following the opening of the third meeting of the 52nd session of Parliament, which commenced on Tuesday in Lilongwe.
According to Banda, legislators have a crucial role to play in ensuring that local transporters operate in a conducive business environment by addressing the challenges affecting the sector.
He cited low transport rates and limited access to foreign currency as some of the key factors discouraging local investors from venturing into the transport industry.
“At the moment, we have very few Malawians in the transport industry because it is no longer profitable. The transport rates are too low for businesses to survive in the long term, and the shortage of foreign currency is affecting most businesses,” Banda said.
He added: “For example, a local transporter and an international transporter may provide the same service, but when it comes to payment, the local transporter is paid in kwacha, while the international transporter is paid in foreign currency, even though they have done the same job. How, then, is the local transporter expected to service their vehicles when most spare parts and equipment are imported? We need to change such practices.”
Banda said the transport sector is one of the country’s key industries and plays a significant role in driving economic growth.
He therefore called on the authorities to address the challenges affecting local transporters.He also urged various stakeholders to complement the government’s efforts to improve the transport industry.
“I encourage different stakeholders to support the government. We know some of the challenges are man-made, while others are beyond our control. However, we need to put our country first and avoid politicising everything,” he said.
Members of Parliament are scheduled to meet for four weeks.
