BCC to allocate land to low-income earners

Blantyre City Council (BCC) is allocating land to low-income earners to build affordable houses.

In an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana), BCC director of planning Costly Chanza said they realised that many people in the city cannot afford to build standard houses as required by the council in areas such as Namiwawa, Nyambadwe and Chinyonga; hence, the decision to give them land in South Lunzu.

“We know the land we are allocating them is not enough; hence, our request to government to give us another one in Chigumula to develop for low-income earners,” said Chanza.

A lecturer in architecture at the Polytechnic, Grace Khumalo, agreed with Chanza on the need to find land for low-income earners.

“The poor are failing to own houses because they lack land. Surprisingly, government has some land that is lying idle in some parts of the city which can be developed for this group.

“The population of Blantyre is growing not only due to urbanisation, but also due to biological and social factors,” said Khumalo.

She said when low-income earners lack land, they start encroaching on government’s land.—Mana