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Mayor Noel Chalamanda on Monday “arrested’ a group of people who dumped non-recyclable alcoholic empty glass bottles on an open plot in Namiwawa.

It was around midday that the Mayor received a phone call from one of the residents alerting him that there was a 15 tonne truck which was dumping empty bottles in the low density area of Namiwawa.

The immediately the Mayor rushed to the place where upon arrival, the driver attempted to runaway but the Mayor blocked the way.

“The people started pleading for mercy saying it was their first time to dump the empty bottles there. My immediate reaction was to order them to collect all the bottles and reload them in their truck,” says the Mayor.

The Council has detained the truck pending payment of fine.

Mayor Noel Chalamanda recently led a delegation from Blantyre City to Nanchang City in China. The aim of the visit was to strengthen and reaffirm the Council’s commitment to the Sister City relationship discussion.

The delegation from Nanchang City visited Blantyre last year. During the visit, the delegation comprising the Mayor, Secretary for Local Government and Rural Development Stuart Ligomeka, Councillor Nellie Nseula and Public Relations Manager Anthony Kasunda held discussion with Municipal authorities and Nanchang Federation of Industry and Commerce (Nanchang Chamber of Commerce).

The leadership of the business community in Nanchang pledged to visit Blantyre very soon to look at investment opportunities. The one that excited the business community most was the construction of modern international bus terminal in Blantyre City.

The Council has received a Golden Key Award from the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) as recognition for being the most Open Public Institution in terms of giving out information to the public in 2016.

This was announced during the commemoration of the Right to Know Day in Lilongwe. The Council has been accredited for putting a lot of information in the public domain including contacts for elected members.

Blantyre City Council has twice been the recipient of the Golden Padlock Award for being the most secretive public institution in the country.

The turn of events follows a deliberate policy by the Council to proactively provide the public with information through the website, Facebook, Twitter and Magazine.

Members of the public can also access information from elected members whose contacts are published on the website including their mobile phone numbers.

MISA Malawi Chapter Chairperson Thom Khanje presented the award which was received on behalf of the Council by Public Relations Manager Anthony Kasunda.

Deputy Mayor Wild Ndipo on Friday (30^th September 2016) graced the Malawi Defence force Secondary School big walk which was organised by the institution’s alumni.

The main purpose of the big walk was to raise funds for Silver Jubilee celebrations on 5^th November 2016, rehabilitate some classrooms and procure books.

“If we have educated people in the City, our City will develop in so many ways and we will have no criminals in the City,” said Ndipo. “This will be because everyone will be busy doing his or her businesses”.

Deputy Army Commander General Clement Namangale appealed to all the schools’ alumni to emulate an example set by MDFSS alumni to create conducive learning environment.

The Council on Thursday, 25th August 2016 was privileged to welcome a delegation comprising Concerned Youth Organisation (CYO), Traditional Authority Mwanza, Salima District Council officials and members of Area Development Committee.

The visiting team was welcomed by the City Council’s Public Relations Manager, Anthony Kasunda who briefed them on how the City Council operates and how it has progressed in transforming its outlook as part of the “Keep Blantyre City Clean and Green Campaign.”

The visitors were later taken on a tour Civic Centre premises. CYO is a non-governmental organisation based in Kachere Township, Blantyre and was hosting the visitors from Salima.

On Thursday (18th August 2016), the Budget and Finance Committee of Parliament visited Civic Centre to be briefed on the government funded road projects.

The Committee, led by its chairperson Honourable Rhino Chiphiko, expressed its satisfaction with the progress of the roads upgrading works.
After the briefing on the projects, the Members of Parliament were taken on a tour of the 3.5 km Chilomoni Ring Road.

One of the Public Sector Reform areas is Smart City Initiative which is being undertaken by Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) and Blantyre City Council has been selected to pilot the initiative.

Smarty City is emerging as a strategy to mitigate the problems generated by the urban population growth and rapid urbanization. A Smart City interconnects human capital, social capital, and ICT infrastructure in order to address public issues.

Through this interconnection, a sustainable development is achieved and the quality of life for citizens is improved.

The smart cities rely on, among others, a collection of smart computing technologies that are applied to critical infrastructure components and services

Taking advantage of this development, Malswitch presented to the Council Parking, E-Ticketing and Mobile City Rates Collection platforms for consideration.

Blantyre City Council is indeed Taking the City Back to the People

President Peter Mutharika has pledged continued development in cities and town of the country.

Speaking on Monday, 27 June 2016 when he toured Roads Upgrading to Asphalt Surfacing Projects, Mutharika said roads are a catalyst for development hence the need to have a good road network in cities and towns.

“We are going to continue upgrading ring roads and construct new roads to ease congestion around the major cities and towns,” said Mutharika. “These road projects are being funded by your tax money not donors. So continue paying tax for continued development.”

The State president also urged the people against vandalism.

“Vandalism impedes development. We must not man-handle culprits of vandalism rather report them to the Police. I assure you that the courts will issue stiff punishments so that we rid this malpractice among us,” said Mutharika.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Kondwani Nankhumwa said his ministry will work hand in hand with councils in serving the people.

The president toured the Bangwe—Mpingwe road, Living Waters—Zion road and the Chilomoni—Sigerege road.

Junior Chambers International (JCI) with funding from Airtel Malawi, on 22^nd June 2016 donated sanitary materials to Manja Primary School.

Among the materials, JCI donated sanitary pads, washing soap, hand washing soap and latrine disinfectant.

Councillor Nellie Nseula said; “Junior Chamber International has demonstrated dedication to their community and taken initiative to make Manja Primary School a better learning environment for the girl pupils here.”

She further encouraged the young girls at the school to continue working hard in school and not to let anyone discourage them from being someone great in the future. “you are diamonds, so shine!”

Local president of JCI Elizabeth Chirambo said that they had discovered in 2015 that the major threat Manja Primary School faces is girl students absconding classes because they are on their menstrual period, hence the donation of sanitary materials to the school.

Mrs Mary Single, Headmistress of the school said, “We are very happy to receive this donation from JCI, and we are going to take care of the sanitary materials.”

One of the students at Manja Primary School, Mary Choka, expressed her gratitude towards JCI for their gesture as it was a serious problem at their school.