Zomba City underdevelopment worries chief
Traditional Authority Mlumbe has expressed concern that Malawi’s old capital, Zomba is developing despite being declared a city in 2008.
Mlumbe said this during the Zomba District Council stakeholders meeting last week.
He said most of the buildings were erected in the colonial era and that nothing has changed since Zomba attained the status of city.
“I am, however, hopeful that the Joyce Banda administration will do something about it because most of the buildings are still in dilapidated state despite Zomba assuming the status of a city in 2008,” he said.
Mlumbe said although government directed people living along the road to erect modern buildings, most of them are yet to comply with the order.
Malawi’s Local Government and Rural Development Minister Grace Maseko, who attended the meeting with her deputy Augustine Mtendere, agreed with the traditional leader that most of the buildings are old and in dire need of rehabilitation.
She, however, asked the city council management to come up with plans to improve the city.
“I want to ask you to come up with investment plans to woo businesspeople to initiate different projects to change the face of Zomba,” said Maseko.
She said government is reviewing laws because some foreigners are investing in businesses that can easily be done by Malawians.
Edward Kandidziwa, who represented Zomba Central Member of Parliament, Yunus Mussa, asked government for money to build a new secondary school in the city.
