Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Ben Phiri met United Kingdom based Malawian born Philanthropist, Furouk Almahomed, and officials from the city of Leicester to ask for support.
Phiri has taken advantage of the UK-Africa Investment Summit to engage various city councils and firms to source fire engines and support to local councils here in Malawi.
The Deputy Mayor of Leicester City, Deepak Bajaj together with Malawian born councillor, Hanif Aqbany, pledged that they would work to have the city twin with a Malawian city and source fire engines as a matter of urgency.
“Leicester is full of Malawians who cherish their heritage. We are glad that you took time to come and see us and start this conversation. We are ready to support you and we will do our utmost best to roll this special relationship,” said Bajaj.
Phiri then, said that he is committed to developing strong links with a city that is full of Malawians and hoped that the partnership would benefit the people of Leicester as well as Malawi.
“We would love you to come to Malawi and launch this new partnership. Councillor Aqbany grew up in Nkhotakota, we will make sure this relationship benefits his childhood area. The fire engines, we need them in every district, and the people to people engagements can also extend to such areas,” said Phiri.
However, Phiri said that government would like to hook Malawians in diaspora to invest and help Malawi, and exemplified what Almahomed family is doing.
