Bravo Lilongwe City Council

A few days ago, Lilongwe City Council (LCC) slashed some maize planted in prohibited places within the city. In a communication from LCC, at least 10 maize fields were slashed because the planters violated the city laws, especially the Physical Planning Act of 2018 which prohibits the use of undeveloped plots, open spaces and road reserves as agricultural gardens for cultivation of various crops within the City of Lilongwe.

This exercise received mixed reactions, with many people on social media accusing LCC of being inhumane for slashing maize that had matured. Many also questioned the timing arguing that perhaps the council should have at least conducted the exercise much earlier. The general feeling was that since the crops were at an advanced stage, the council should have waited for the planers to harvest and stop them from farming in these prohibited places.

Following the social media public outcry in a fashion synonymous with politicians when we approach elections, the government responded swiftly and stopped the council from continuing with the exercise.

Well, those people who had their maize slashed deserve everything that came their way and even more. These people are law-breakers and I find it hard to sympathise with them for many reasons. Before this slashing exercise a few months ago, the council warned the public against farming in these places. The warning came way before they even planted the maize. For whatever reasons, they decided not to disregard the warning. Year in and year out, the public is warned against using undeveloped spaces within the city, but every year, they defy councils.

Oftentimes, the defiance is because they know some gullible politicians, especially those in government, will come to their rescue so they can continue to have free rein in breaking the laws.

It is because of the political interference in the work of the councils that all our cities have become an eyesore. Take a look at Blantyre CBD. It has been turned into a flea market where vendors freely sell mangoes, tomatoes and anything you can think of. The stretch between Nandos to Chayamba Building has been turned into Sienta/taxi rank such that shoppers hardly find parking space. The pavements have been turned into vegetable-selling hawks. Our cities are now filthy and ugly because the public has been let to do as it pleases, conducting business in undesignated places.

All this is happening, because when the city council authorities tried to bring sanity, the politicians interfered for fear of jeopardising potential votes. This has been a trend in all our cities for a long time. Politicians continue to undermine the authority of the city councils in enforcing the laws, almost rendering the councils incapable of discharging their duties effectively and efficiently. This is wrong and must be stopped.

There is no justification for farming in prohibited places within the city when the laws prohibit the same. These maize gardens in the city are a haven for thieves and thugs. They mug people and quickly hide in these maize gardens.

Let all crops planted in the city be slashed to send a strong message to hooligans who think they have free will to break laws. Politicians, stop undermining the authority of the councils.