Abstract:
In sub-Saharan Africa, road is the dominant mode of transportation. As such, government and developmental
agencies in the region usually invest in road projects significantly. However, the delivery of road projects that are
supposed to act as the catalyst for socioeconomic development is fast becoming an uphill task in Malawi. A number of
problems have been reported in the media. This development led to a preliminary diagnostic study that was aimed at
examining the barriers that are hindering the successful execution of road projects in Malawi in 2012. The
investigation that was conducted among engineers who are employed by the agency responsible for road projects in
Malawi and civil engineering contractors used a self-administered questionnaire for data collection. Salient findings
suggest that delayed payment by clients severely marginalises contractor performance and delivered projects are
seldom defect free. Considering Malawi’s heavy dependence on roads as a means of transportation, it is crucial that
these barriers be addressed without delay.
