LL councillors get more cash handouts from Chakwera than BT: ‘Transform Lilongwe into modern capital city’
Lilongwe City Councillors said they smiled back home after getting better “brown envelopes” with cash handouts from President Lazarus Chakwera than compared with their Blantyre counterparts when they had an interface meeting with the head of state at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.
Chakweara’s meeting with 27 councilllors was the third presidential meeting with councils, after similar one in Blantyre and Mzuzu.
In Blantyre, councillors after meeting Chakwera at Sanjika Palace recorded a video which went viral on social media complaining that they received K20 000 cash each from the President which they regarded as too little.
But the story was different from Lilongwe, as councillors were squealing with excitement after the meeting, saying they got “better than Blantyre and Mzuzu” counterparts.
“We are from the capital and we have been looked after very well,” said one councillor with a badge of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) on his jacket’s lapel.
Another councillor said the cash token received from Chakwera was far much better than what Blantyre councillors received.
Without disclosing the amount, the councillors said:“ it’s an early Christmas.”
During the meeting at Kamuzu Palace, attended by Lilongwe City Mayor Juliana Kaduya, chief executive officer John Chome, the Lilongwe City councillors asked the President to give them an opportunity to import one duty-free car to ease their mobility in their respective wards.
The council officials lamented that property owners owe it K11 billion in city rates, a development which is affecting their operations.
On his part, President Chakwera challenged the council officials to work harder towards transforming Lilongwe into a modern capital city worth its name.
He warned against a “business-as-usual” approach if the capital city is to have the desired outlook.
“We must reverse some of the ways of doing things. Without integrity, without standards and without the unity of purpose that we need, these plans shall be mere dreams,” said Chakwera.
The council, according to its CEO Chome, intends to implement reforms being championed by vice-president Saulos Chilima, and that it has developed a strategic plan for transforming Lilongwe into a modern city.
“We are committed to implement reforms. Let me say something on key financing areas, 90 percent of revenue is self-generated, but the issue is that K11 billion is owed to the council as in city rates,” said Chome.
He said the council needs a number of projects such as a recreational services to restore its lost glory.
Among other things, the Lilongwe City Council strategic plan outlines construction of recreation centres that will generate income and also introduction of a rapid public transportation system to meet travel needs of people within the city.
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If Malawians would spend the same amount of time that they spend on spreading fake news and commenting on gossip, our country would have been a very rich country by now….shame….mind set change indeed is required.
tsankho ilo, ilo,munya a ku Ndix ville
We have a major problem in our cities. After chasing our vendors, they are many who have no where to get money, as a result crime is spiking in our cities.
Strategies need to be put in place to address our urban poverty.
Two wrongs do not make a right. What Chakwera is doing is not acceptable, no matter where he does it. One would think because the man was once a preacher then he would be sober enough and do things rationally, but instead he looks and acts intoxicated more than a Satanic member. Fortunately, when it comes to getting punished, it is everyone according to his transgressions. All he should know is that what he is pursuing is temporary, come next election he will unceremoniously be shown the exit door. In this game called politics, you just need to play by… Read more »
ALIYENSE ADALANDILATU MK500,000
Eish mpakana K500,000 each councillor?
I want this reporter to dig deeper and come up with the exact figure the Lilongwe City Councillors have been given. This is a very serious matter which smacks nepotism by the president. By the way did the President pay the Councillors in all the three cities his personal money or Government money. If it was perosnal money, I have no issues, but if it is Government money the President must justify the difference in allowances.
Even if it was personal money, where did the money come from when he barely sat on the sit for a few months only?
Mindset change in action. He he!
Why not make this strategic plan public?
But Dpp was nepotistic. The fact is alliyense amakondela kwawo. Atumbuka amangolembana ntchito mudziwonse including drivers and okolopa. When a Lomwe does it it’s a crime against humanity. Know this. Mcp will never win again in the south. We are watching keenly.
Anthu opusa awa….
Kwanumkwanu baba Ukakhala ndi mwana ngati akusera ndi anzake awiri iwe uli ndi mabanzi awiri umayamba wapatsa enawo kuti aliyense amugawire wako hafu.In the end wako adya chathunthu enawo half half.Ndiye musadabwe apa kuti aku LL akumwetulira atakomana a president.