Minister tips Zomba City on fundraising

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Kondwani Nankhumwa has urged councils to be innovative and find sustainable fundraising mechanisms to finance projects.

Nankhumwa said this on Tuesday in Zomba when he inspected progress of Matawale Market and attended Zomba City Council (ZCC) full council meeting in the city’s chamber.

He expressed disappointment with the city’s financial state and advised councillors and the secretariat to be creative in sourcing funds. For instance, he said, the council should draft development plans and approach various institutions and business entities in the city to complement its plans in cash or kind.

Said Nankhumwa: “The council has a duty to devise various economic empowerment activities and avail them to development partners to complement as nobody can bail out this city if it hides its deficits,” he said.

Commenting on the market, the minister assured residents that it will be opened by December this year as government has sourced funds for completion.

ZCC acting chief executive officer Mussa Mwale commended the minister for the ideas and pledged to put them into practice to uplift the status of the city. n