Blantyre mayor calls for taller buildings and akabaza ban

Blantyre City Mayor Isaac Jomo Osman has called on companies and property developers to start building taller, modern structures with underground parking, arguing the city can no longer rely on low-rise buildings and congested roadside parking as its population and commercial activity grow.

Osman said multi-storey buildings with basement car parks are now essential to urban planning in Blantyre, where limited land, rising traffic volumes and ageing infrastructure are making mobility increasingly difficult.

He said the city must shift towards a more “vertical” development model to remain functional, competitive and attractive to investors.

The council is also developing plans to restrict motorcycle taxi operators, known as akabaza, from entering the main central business district.

Osman said that while akabaza play an important role in providing affordable transport, their presence in the CBD has contributed to disorderly traffic, safety concerns and congestion.

Under the proposed arrangement, akabaza would instead be directed to designated holding areas outside the core commercial zone, where passengers could board and disembark without disrupting traffic flow.

Osman said the city is working on a broader strategy to reorganise public transport, improve pedestrian safety and ease pressure on narrow streets never designed for today’s traffic volumes.

He added that Blantyre’s long-term development plan envisions a cleaner, more orderly and more efficient city centre, with improved zoning, stronger enforcement of building standards, and incentives for developers willing to invest in modern infrastructure.

Urban planners have long warned that Blantyre’s growth has outpaced its physical layout, with informal parking, unregulated transport operators and outdated buildings contributing to daily congestion.

They say Osman’s proposals signal a shift towards more deliberate, structured city management — though success will depend on political will, private-sector cooperation and consistent enforcement.