Atupele cancels meet with MHC tenants
Former Lands and Housing minister Atupele Muluzi, who has been moved to Ministry of Health and Population in President Peter Mutharika’s Cabinet reshuffle, cancelled on last minute a scheduled meeting with Malawi Housing Corporation (MHC) tenants in Blantyre soon after an announcement was made that there was a reshuffle.
Principal Secretary in the ministry of Lands and Housing Charles Msosa failed to convince the tenants to hold the meeting in the absence of Muluzi and the meeting was called off.
Muluzi has since been replaced with Anna Kachikho and the former lands and Housing minuster is now at Health ministry where he has taken over from Peter Kumpalume who has since been fired on undisclosed reasons.
Mervin Kaumphawi who represented the tenants said they would wait to hold a meeting with the new minister Kachikho when she settles in office.
“This meeting is for a cabinet minister not any other official,” Kaumphawi said refusing to allow Msosa hold the meeting.
Among others, the tentants wants the Malawi Housing Corporation not to implement the 48 per cent rental hike at once but in spread them in months.
They also want the government to give the houses for free to all tenants who have been in the houses for over 10 years.
Meanwhile, Muluzi on Thursday opened a $1.5 million (about K1 billion) durabric production plant in Lilongwe, a venture set to reduce usage of trees in brick-making.
The plant, situated at Kanengo Industrial Area, is co-owned by 14 Trees and Lafarge Affordable Building Limited.
The company is making bricks from soil, sand and cement and does not require firewood to burn the bricks.
14 Trees managing director and head of Africa operations Didier Chayramy said they have partnered LafargeHolcim and CDC, a United Kingdom financial institution from Department for International Development (DfID).
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