What we are
Blantyre City is the oldest urban centre in Malawi and Southern Africa. Founded by Scottish Missionaries in1870, Blantyre was named after the Scottish town where Dr David Livingstone was born. It was merged with Limbe in 1956, having been incorporated in 1885 as the first Municipality in Central Africa, and declared a City on Independence Day in 1966. The population is approximately one million by day and seven hundred thousand by night.
Covering an area of approximately 250 square kilometres, Blantyre City Council is situated in the Shire Highlands in the Southern Region of Malawi (on the edge of the African Rift Valley) at an altitude of approximately 1150 metres above sea level. The topography is varied, comprising relatively flat areas, undulating terrain, several small hills and streams.
Blantyre City experiences tropical continental climate, with light drizzle in the cold dry season, called Chiperoni, caused by moist maritime air. Temperatures are cool, ranging from an average of 13 degrees Celsius in the cold season to 21 degrees Celsius in the hottest months of September, October and November. The average annual rainfall is 1122mm.
The City is managed in accordance with the Local Government Act, 1998 which replaces the Local Government (Urban Areas) Act and the Local Government (District Councils) Act. The Act mandates elected representatives of the various City wards and other ex-officio and non-voting members (headed by the Mayor) to manage the City. The Act outlines the functions of the Council clearly and regulates the operations of the Council and its secretariat which is headed by the Chief Executive Officer, and structured into eight departments as follows:
- Administrative Services
- Human Resource Development and Management Services
- Legal Services
- Leisure, Culture and Environmental Services
- Engineering Services
- Health and Social Services
- Financial Services
- Town Planning and Estates Management Services
- Commerce and Industry Services
- Education Services
The management of the City is shared with a large number of other service providers and stakeholders. These include Blantyre Water Board, Escom, Malawi Posts Corporations, Malawi Housing Corporations, Ministry of Lands and Housing, Surveyor Department, Ministry of Works, Roads Authority, Ministry of Health and Population, Malawi Police Service, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Civil Society Organisations, Faith Groups and other charitable organisations