Minister Nankhumwa blasts city council for late market fire fighting

Local government and rural development minister Kondwani Nankhimwa on Friday had no kind words for officials at Lilongwe City Council and suggested heads might roll after they came to fight fire at a market two hours late.

Nankhumwa, known for calling a spade a spade in his approach, expressed concern that the council fire brigade could not make it on time because of lack of fuel and later discovered they did not have enough fire fighting water.

“This is very serious. The government would replace the irresponsible officers,” warned Nankhumwa.

The fire, which has burnt billions of merchandise to ashes, has left 5000 traders and vendors destitute, hopeless and helpless.

Some of them took to the streets in the morning, violently though, battled with the police as they expressed anger over council inefficiency to fight the fire that started at around 3 am and fire brigades showed up at 5 am when almost everything had been lost in the raging inferno.

One of the traders who lost everything in the inferno, Daniel Kamila said there was need for the council to find preventive measures of market fires.

Cabinet ministers, including Home Affairs minister Grace Chiumia and the police chief Lexten Kachama visited the market after calm returned in Old Town in the afternoon.

Leader of Malawi Congress Party Lazarus Chakwera was also scheduled to visit the market in the afternoon.