Mayor talks tough: Warns Blantyre residents against farming in protected areas

Blantyre City Council has warned residents against cultivating in protected areas such as hills and along streams saying this was posing danger to people’s lives and property.

Mayor Chalamanda makes a speech
Mayor Chalamanda makes a speech
Blantyre Mayor  Noel Chalamanda plants a tree
Blantyre Mayor Noel Chalamanda plants a tree

Speaking on Friday when he presided over tree planting exercise in Nyambadwe Hill organized by Sunbird TourismLimited, Blantyre City Mayor Noel Chalamanda said this should be the last growing season for those cultivating in such places.

“We want to make sure that this is the last year people are cultivating steep slopes like these. We will work with the Department of Forestry to make sure that we enforce all the laws so that trees in such areas are taken care of,” said Chalamanda.

He thanked Sunbird Tourism Limited for the good corporate citizenship and pleaded with people to return gratitude to the company by looking after the trees.

Sunbird Hotel Finance Director Patrick Lisilira assured people that they will still do more to make Blantyre look beautiful by having enough trees.

Said Lisilira: “We, as citizens of Malawi, have the responsibility to take care of the environment.We want to assure the communities that we will continue helping so that we restore Blantyre’s lost beauty.”

Councillor for Nyambadwe Ward Leonard Chibade assured the company that he will work with other relevant authorities to ensure that the hill is free from farming.

About 1, 000 trees were planted.

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Antiracist
Antiracist
9 years ago

One man working, eleven standing around and watching ……. productivity, Malawi style!

Sapitwa kakulanye
Sapitwa kakulanye
9 years ago

I doubt if forestry staff can assist to manage the trees planted. There are many reasons but major ones are: forest guards are powerless, too much political interference, many Malawians do not understand and appreciate non market value of trees, Malawi is a unique country on the planet doing things differently from other countries even if such actions shall be disastrous, difficult to understand things quickly may be due to high illiteracy levels, desire to have money at all cost, no love for mother Malawi etc

weaklicks
weaklicks
9 years ago

Chalamanda knows just talking he will fail to enforce this because of political pressure.

freespch
freespch
9 years ago

Next Soche Hill. Group vh Misesa wawononga please intervene andale musaliwerere madzi apha anthu

mbwaxe
9 years ago

All these measures are short term remedies!!! The lasting solution to these is to deal with poverty and ever growing population!!! Chepesani kuchindana a malawi!!! Makamaka kumwelako

Mfumu matiki
Mfumu matiki
9 years ago

Start charging the people who farm in this places and not treating them with kind gloves. Arrest them, take them to caught, charge them and let them pay fine. That will immediately end this silly practice. Blantyre water board should learn from you as well.

vitumbiko mwakipuyi
vitumbiko mwakipuyi
9 years ago

You’re doing a good job Noel, if you decide to run for the highest office of the land, I will definitely vote you straight into that hot seat! Bravo my Brother!

kaizer
9 years ago

planting more trees is not the ultimate solution.i am someone who is a big advocate of population control.all developed countries including the UK have adopted this policy in their long successiful history to curb the depletion of natural resources.we are the only country in sadc with a political leadership whose officials fear to tell their followers,country women and country men to stop bearing more children.all because they fear they might lose elections and their positions.we might plant trees today only to have another population boom waiting to wantonly cut the very same trees.amalawi tawonjeza kwambiri kuberekana.its sad because its coming… Read more »

mboba
mboba
9 years ago

Olima ma plot a eni zithe

Zagwa
Zagwa
9 years ago

This boy loves publicity like no mans business! Is there news here? The way he publicizes his events one would think Blantyre is developed. Gwilani ntchito achimwene. Mukuopa cashgate kodi?

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