Blantyre City Council to demolish structures built in disaster fragile areas

Blantyre City Council has warned its residents that it has with immediate effect prohibited new developments from being erected on hills and stream reserves and that those who would defy the order and build shall have their structures demolished as from August 1.

A public notice from Chief Executive Officer, Dennis Chinseu specifically mentions hills of Soche, Ndirande, Bangwe, Mpingwe, Mthawira, Nyambadwe and reserves of all streams and rivers in the city.

“The Council will prosecute anyone who will start new developments or continue any development in the stated areas in defiance of this notice.”

The huge death toll from the Cyclone Freddy-induced floods in March were mainly from the massive mudslide from Soche Hill that claimed lives and displaced thousands in Chilobwe, Manja and the community named Soche Hill.

The effects of the floods, which hit hard many parts of the Southern Region, is still been felt by many people who lost their houses and several organisations are partnering with Habitat for Humanity Malawi to build climate change-resilient houses for homeless survivors.

In June, FDH Group committed to build two houses and went further to introduce a campaign for its staff across the country through which they are being encouraged to wear the jersey for Malawi national football team, the Flames, every Friday and donate a minimum of K1,000 towards mobilising more funds to construct three or even more such houses.

Dubbed ‘A Penny 4 Change-Flames Freddy Friday; Lets Rebuild Houses’, the campaign was launched on June 23 that was expected to run for 12 weeks in which they expect to raise K30 million.

The Group comprises 7 companies — of FDH Holdings; FDH Bank; FDH Money Bureau; First Discount House; MSB Properties; FDH Pension and FDH Advisory and at the launch Group Chief Executive Officer, William Mpinganjira said this was a continuation of assisting Cyclone Freddy-induced flood survivors as the Group already assisted with K100 million as soon as disaster struck.

As a Group, Mpinganjira said they had already committed and constructed two houses for displaced people at Traditional Authority Njema in Mulanje.

As April stats, Cyclone Freddy claimed 511 lives; with at least 533 still missing; over 1,724 injured and 564,239 people displaces and living in 577 camps, most of which were decommissioned.

To assist in rebuilding homeless people’s lives, President Lazarus Chakwera launched the campaign #TigwiraneManja# which is being championed by former Presidents, Bakili Muluzi (1994-2004) and Joyce Banda (2012-2014).

Currently, the two former Heads of State rolled out a housing project to benefit surviving families in Sub-Traditional Authority Mphweremwe in Phalombe District.