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Blantyre City has new Mayor

The newly elected Mayor Wild Ndipo says he will continue from where former Mayor Noel Chalamanda left in taking the City forward in terms of development and delivery of other municipal services.

Ndipo was elected on Monday, January 9, 2017 replacing Chalamanda whom he deputized for the last two and half years. Bangwe Ward Councillor Joseph Makwinja is now deputy Mayor.

Cllr Makwinja: Second in command

“Every development that we all see in Blantyre is a result of team work and this team work will continue during my term of office so that we create a better Blantyre,” said Ndipo.

“I would like to guarantee the residents of Blantyre that the red star campaign succeeds, revenue collection improves, and outdated by-laws are improved,” he said.

The outgoing Mayor, Noel Chalamanda has pledged his total support and cooperation with the new leadership.

City residents celebrates entry into 2017 with fireworks

This is how it was on New Year Eve!!! Blantyre City Council in partnership with Rab Processors Group and Telekom Networks Malawi (TNM) organized Big Night Fireworks: Family Extravaganza Night event which took place at Independence Arch on December 31.

Fireworks that mesmerised me

The extravaganza was planned to bring families together, count down to 2017 and experience cracking of fireworks. Mayor Noel Chalamanda said as per the Council’s motto “Taking the City back to the people” the extravaganza portrayed that Blantyre City residents adore the City and “we have witnessed a lot of families coming here to watch the fireworks together.”

Thousands of Blantyre City residents and people from outside gathered at the Independence Arch to celebrate the entry into the New Year.

As the time clocked 00:00am, huge explosion was heard signaling the cracking of fireworks which lasted for about 20 minutes.

Mayor Chalamanda being interviewed live on MBC TV during the event

There was jubilation, hugging and shouting among the patrons as the man charged with the responsibility of cracking fireworks did his job.

Blantyre City Council Chief Executive Officer Dr Alfred Chanza has declared that fireworks on new year’s eve will now be an annual event.

Council reviewing Service Charter

Blantyre City Council has embarked on a consultative process to develop a Service Charter which will act as a blue print to determine the excellence in the delivery of services.

Acting Director of Administrative Services Alfred Nyengo (standing) delivering opening remarks during the consultative meeting

The Council has partnered with Concerned Youth Organisation with funding from Tilitonse Fund to review the draft Service Charter drafted some three years ago.

On Tuesday, the academia and youths were consulted and gave their useful input while on Wednesday; the Council had a meeting with representatives from the private sector, civil society organisations, media and members of the public.

Council receives service excellence award

The Council has for the second year running received a Service Excellence Award in recognition of excellence in the category of Local Authorities Sector while the Mayor, Councillor Noel Chalamanda, is a recipient of Service Excellence Personality of the Year Award.

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Councillors and staff pose with certificates

 

The awards were presented by Chartered Institute of Customer Management at a ceremony held at Sunbird Capital Hotel on Friday, 25th November 2016.

Blantyre City Council emerged the winner followed by Lilongwe City Council on second position while Zomba City Council came third.

Apart from the Service Excellence Awards, the Council is the recipient of MISA’s 2016 Most Open Public Institution Award which was presented during the commemoration of Right to Know Day on 28th September 2016.

Chinese Ambassador visits Mayor

Chinese Ambassador to Malawi His Excellency Wang Shi-Ting on Wednesday (16 November 2016) paid a courtesy call on Mayor Councillor Noel Chalamanda in his Parlour.

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Wang presenting a gift to Chalamanda

Of late, there have been interactions between the Chinese envoy and Blantyre City Council aimed at strengthening the relationship between peoples of the two countries.

In October this year, the Chinese Embassy funded a trip of the Mayor and his delegation to Nanchang City in China.

Blantyre City and Nanchang City are in discussion to establish Sister City relationship and to encourage business partnerships

Mayor “arrests” waste dumper

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

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Chalamanda watches as the dumpers collect the empty bottles

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 woos Chinese investors to Blantyre

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.

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Chalamanda meets Mr Yang Wenbin, Member of Nanchang Municipal government

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.

Council wins 2016 MISA Golden Key Award

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.

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Kasunda receiving the award from MISA chairman Khanje

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 graces army fundraiser

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

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MDF soldiers in big walk led by Deputy Mayor Wild Ndipo

The main purpose of the big walk was to raise funds for Silver Jubilee celebrations on 5th 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.

 

Blantyre City exhibited in Germany

Blantyre City Council was privileged to host Wiebke Witthuhn and Lea Becker, on internship from its Sister City, Hannover City, of Germany from September to December 2015.

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Part of the exhibition
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Part of the musical entertainment
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Wiebke (Third from left) and Lea (with the mic) and other organisers

The two are students from Leibniz University and Tu Berlin Technical University respectively in Hannover City.

After returning to their home city, the two hosted exhibition “Perspectives Blantyre” which was opened by Malawi Ambassador to Germany, Michael Kamphambe Nkhoma and Cultural Affairs Harald Härke, Arne Dreske while Andreas Lallinger provided the musical entertainment.

Wiebke and Lea shared photos from the exhibition with the Council. Blanyre City is proud to be associated with Hannover City.