Blantyre city MPs storm city council offices, demands management resignation

Tempers flared Thursday morning at Blantyre City Council (BCC) civic offices when a group of parliamentarians in Blantyre demanded for the resignation of the entire management.

This happened during a meeting the council held with the lawmakers who demanded an explanation on why it is taking long for the council to release funds for projects in their constituencies.

During the meeting the parliamentarians took the chairperson Ted Nandolo and his team of directors to task for failing to release funds for various projects.

The lawmakers cited projects that have stalled like as a result of the council’s inefficiency like roads, bridges and school blocks that are funded by the government through the city council.

“It is true we met at the civic centre with city officials all we wanted was an explanation on why the council is playing hide and seek when it comes to the releasing of funds for various projects in our areas.

“The council management told us their side of story but it wasn’t convincing so we came to the conclusion that it is better for the entire team of directors and their chief executive to politely stand down because they are frustrating President Mrs. Joyce Banda’s development efforts,” said one of the parliamentarians Moses Kunkuyu who has retained his position as Information Minister in a cabinet shake-up on Thursday.

Apart from Kunkuyu other legislators who attended the meeting with the city officials include, Moses Kunkuyu, John Bande, Eunice Makangala, Felix Njawala,Tarcizio Thomie Gowelo and Geoffrey Mtelemuka.

On his part, Blantyre Kabula legislator Njawala singled out failure by the council to contain multiplication of mosquitoes in the city which he said has contributed to rising Malaria cases at the referral Queen Elizabeth hospital.

“I don’t know how much you have been told but yes we had a meeting at Blantyre city civic offices today [Thursday] between the councils directors, members of parliament and the minister of local government. As MPs we wanted to know why it is taking too long for roads, bridges and other projects to be funded including those under CDF.

“During the meeting as members we called for the resignation of the council bosses including directors for failing even to control the mosquitoes that are rampant in Blantyre now than ever before which is causing deaths,” said Njawala.

He cited as an example of Blantyre’s central business district he said has only a handful of street lights that are working.

On his part, Bande accused the city officials of practicing what he called front line politics. He said since President Mrs. Joyce Banda took office, government MPs have been treated unfairly by the city officials, a majority of whom were hired or promoted by the former ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Meanwhile, local government minister Grace Maseko refused to comment on the issue saying, “it seems you already have the details so what do you want me to say?”

Commenting on the issue, the council’s chief executive Ted Nandolo pleaded with the MPs to be a little bit patient and promised to sort out the quagmire as soon as possible.

According to records sourced at the Finance ministry, BCC was allocated K56 million for various constituency development fund in all the constituencies under its jurisdiction.

Out of the K56 million, BCC is reported to only have used a meager K12 million.

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