Confirmed: Over 100 buildings in Blantyre to be demolished

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Lilongwe City.

The Blantyre City Council (BCC) through Malawi’s “Red Star Campaign” will demolish hundred sixty one buildings in the commercial city, Malawi24 has learnt.

Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday in Chairperson for the “Red Star Campaign” Wild Ndipo said the council is prepared and has already made the exercise legal.

He added that communications are underway and expect building owners to respond in writing.

According to the council about hundred ninety one buildings were assessed in Limbe while hundred eighty nine in Blantyre Central Business District.

Cited Ndipo, “Letters are ready and they are being sent to building owners about the exercise. They will possibly respond in writing. The actual demolition starts on 1st March and the dates are fixed. If they don’t respond the city will still go ahead with the exercise. There was some silence because we were working on making it legal. After the assessment, the tasks force hard to bring it to the town planning committee and had to go with it to the full council.”

Wild Ndipo, Costly Chanza
Ndipo and Chanza (L) briefing the press.

Among the buildings to be demolished seventy four are from Blantyre CBD while eighty seven of it from Limbe.

Meanwhile, Director of Town Planning and Estate Services Costly Chanza has revealed that the exercise will revamp the appearance of both towns.

In the event that building owners get injunctions, he uttered the city is legally covered.

Chanza further urged the building owners to seek clarifications and lodge their grievances with the council before the exercise commences.

“The exercise will still go ahead whether someone gets an injunction or not. This is to ensure to ensure target of the needed buildings. Those people operating business are excited with the excise that will revamp both towns. Somehow there will be two three people who might not like the exercise but they will not stop it,” explained Chanza.

The exercise is done in conjunction with Professional bodies which include the University of Malawi, Malawi Institute of Physical Planners, Ministry of lands and Physical Planning and Malawi Institute of Architects.