Blantyre Mayoral polls: Chalamanda favourite of ‘cityzens’, DPP’s Ngalande eye post

The tension for Blantyre City Mayor’s elections on Monday is heating up with current Mayor, Noel Chalamanda facing opposition from his deputy Wild Ndipo and three other councillors.

The elections are set for Monday 9th January, 2017 at the civic offices.

So far Chalamanda is facing challenge from Councillors Alinane George Chipwete, Louis Ngalande who is the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Youth Director as well as Ndipo.

However, the prominent private practice lawyer is leading the race with full backing from councillors and ‘cityzens’ and some of the city’s Parliamentarians considering his development initiatives currently taking shape in the city.

Chalamanda, 41 has been hailed for restoring the city’s beauty and sanitation status is facing competition from his deputy Ndipo and Ngalande who have intensified their campaign to win favours of councillors and eight Members of Parliament who are Council Members.

Newspaper columnist Ephraim Munthali is on record to have drawn parallels of Mayor Chalamdanda with Michael Bloomberg—the billionaire business mogul and philanthropist—who became mayor of New York City and run it for 12 years until December 2013.

He wrote that  Bloomberg’s policy positions has always been a centrist politician with moderate views—an independent throughout his life.

On the other hand, Chalamanda has never been affiliated to any political party and is an ‘independent’ Mayor right from the beginning.

Chalamanda inherited one of the dirtiest cities in the world and came into the ‘city hall’ at a time the so-called commercial city had very little commerce to write home about and its finances were in tatters.

But he has made considerable progress to bring Blantyre to its former glory and be much attractive place to live in.

Chalamanda, an independent councilor for Blantyre City Centre Ward, was elected as Mayor for Blantyre city on July 9, 2014 in an election that was partly disrupted by DPP supporters who opposed his nomination.

The blue supporters and police engaged in a running battle as they demanded their leader Ngalande’s name be included on the list of the candidates vying for the position of mayor.

Ngalande, councilor Misesa Ward in Blantyre, was first candidate to mount a challenge against Chalamanda for the mayorship title.

 He could not hide or dismiss his interest, saying “It’s not a matter of vying for the mayor position but a matter of interest.”

DPP is putting its full weight on Ngalande.