MP calls for special development fund
Mzuzu City Member of Parliament (MP) has asked government to set up a special development fund for the city “underfunded far too long” to catch up with Lilongwe and Blantyre.
Uncle Jose Leonard Njikho made the call on Saturday when the National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust held a debate at Mzuzu City Council to explore how MPs and councillors can work together to develop the city.
The newly elected MP said: “Looking at the figures from the 2013/14 fiscal year, Mzuzu asked for K260 million to function properly but government only approved K1.3 million.
“Is that enough to develop the city’s roads and infrastructure? People may have the hunger for development, but it is nothing without political will.”
Mzuzu City Council chief executive officer Thomas Chirwa concurred with the parliamentarian, saying Lilongwe reached its present level on the wings of a special nod from the central government.
By contrast, Chirwa approximated that last year’s allocation from government was just about the monthly bill the council pays to Electricity Supply Corporation (Escom) to keep streetlights on.
The city boss also disclosed that the annual revenue of the council, which loses up to K100 million every year in non-payment of rates, usually hovers around K400 million.
He explained: “For years, our revenue has been trickling in from about 9 000 properties and nearly 30 percent of them have been paying without defaulting.”
Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) diocesan secretary in Mzuzu, Arnold Msimuko, asked the council to be transparent to encourage them to pay rates.
