Q & A

Ending chaos in the capital

 

Councillor Desmond Bikoko was elected mayor for Lilongwe City last month. Our reporter FATSANI GUNYA caught up with the new mayor to get deeper insights into his 10-point plan to bring sanity to the capital city.

Bikoko: I will not tolerate corruption and crime

Q

: Congratulations on winning the hot seat. How does it feel to be elected the mayor of this significant city?

A

: I am still humbled by the results of the elections. Now the realisation is dawning on me that city residents have such enormous expectations from my office as the head and the city council. My humble pledge to the citizens of this great city is that I will ensure a well-governed, transparent and accountable council with clear decentralised powers and functions, where participatory decision-making is strengthened and adherence to the rule of law is a cardinal rule.

Q

: You have taken over a council which does not seem to be working at all. Just how do you plan to turn things around?

A

: Changing the face of the city is one of my key focus areas. Most of our guiding principles, including city bylaws, seem not to be working. Actually, most of them are inconsistent to each other. Using relevant powers vested in me as mayor, I will ensure that the by-laws are reviewed in tandem with the current needs of the citizens. Most of the by-laws were last reviewed in 2003. Obviously, they are outdated and require updating to reflect the political and economic changes that have occurred in the last 14 years. I believe by doing so, the city council will easily protect and maintain order in the city.

Q

: Lilongwe could have been bigger and better if the council adhered to the City Development Strategy (2010-2015). Now that it has expired, what lies ahead?

A

: There is already the Lilongwe Master Plan in place which just needs implementation as it is vibrant as well. My office will surely lobby for its gazetting. But I will also lobby for the review of the first city development strategy and champion the development of the successor development strategy for the 2016-2022 period.

Q

: Before your election, city residents owed the council K6 billion by its residents. Why such a huge figure?

A

: Without pointing a finger at anyone, you may wish to know that revenue for the city council has for the last decade not been growing proportionate to the demand for infrastructural development. This has negatively affectively service delivery to both residents and visitors.  I will therefore invest my energies towards improving revenue generation for the council by way of implementing a comprehensive local revenue enhancement plan. I will also champion a zero-tolerance on fraud and corruption among council staff.

Q

: But zero-tolerance to corruption is really about transparency and accountability, isn’t it?

A

: Yes. The council needs to be financially accountable to achieve best results that advance the interests of its citizens. In this regards, my office will engage the office of the Auditor General to provide audit services.

Q

: When were the council’s accounts last

audited?

A

: I gather the council accounts have not been audited for about six years. It’s very unfortunate such has been the case, but I do not think it would be wise of me to start pointing fingers today. The past is for us to draw lessons from. We will be doomed if we repeat the mistakes from our past. This is exactly the reason why I extended an olive branch and expressed willingness to work with anyone who has the best interests of the city. The truth is this city wouldn’t have been on its knees were it not for politics. I may be from the opposition Malawi Congress Party [MCP], but I pledge not to bring party politics to the council’s business. Similarly, it would be very unfortunate if some sections decide to throw political spanners to the plans we seek to undertake. I will not protect anyone breaking the law. The capital city deserves better.

Q

: What do you plan to do on illegal and sub-standard structures mushrooming all over the city, including on prime land?

A

: This is one of the thorny areas for any city council’s development plans anywhere in the world, but I guess it is worse here than in any other capital city in the region. It’s very unfortunate, but it is too late to save Jericho. The rules are there, but they are not being enforced adequately. My office is determined to strengthen the capacity of enforcement mechanisms. This will include establishment of Lilongwe City police unit within the directorate of administration services. The unit will work hand in hand with the police service. My office will also lobby for the finalisation of the long-awaited function review to harmonise organisational structures and outsource services of which the council lacks capacity. I believe this will improve service delivery and emergency response time as my office will also initiate development and implementation of the Lilongwe city service charter.

Q

:Contrary to minimum expectation, piles of solid waste, broken sewers, poor drainage, potholes, streets lamps with no bulbs and free-for-all vending are a common sight in the city. Any hope for a change?

A

:  These are some of the eyesores in the city. But I have always strongly believed that Lilongwe City deserves quality and sustainable infrastructure in the form of improved roads, working street lights, street cleaning, improving drainage/sewer systems and culverts and bridges. This will be top of my agenda as mayor. I’m not going to do this alone. I need support from every citizen. As such, I intend to promote partnerships with the diplomatic community and other cities within and outside Malawi. Staff exchange programmes with sister cities at technical and professional levels with the view of capacity building of the council can be a start to deliver quality services. On the other hand, entering into partnerships with private sector or investors both on the local and international scene in legacy projects in the city or to make financial contributions towards the development of the city’s aged infrastructure. And on the sewer systems, I can confirm that the council is fixing the Lumbadzi sewer line in the shortest period possible. In a nutshell, this is among my priority list of possible interventions to be done to help change the face of the city. n

 

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