Blantyre sets ball rolling in purchasing Mayoral vehicles from HTD

Blantyre City Mayor Noel Chalamanda has been the first to fly a Mayoral flag after  the City Council  acquired one for him last month, and his Deputy Mr. Ndippo is likewise the first to get a Deputy Mayoral vehicle, both Chauffeur driven.

The Nyasa Times understands that Mayor Chalamanda has been provided with a state of the art vehicle seven seater which has both manual and automatic transmission modes and has a flag fixed on its left hand side right at HTD Limited where it was bought.

This has put to rest speculations that Vehicles for Mayors and Chairpersons and their Deputies will be purchased by the central government.

“Each council will look into its affairs that is why the Blantyre City Council has bought vehicles for its Mayor and Deputy,” said at the City Council, who indicated that vehicle for the Deputy Mayor is yet to be fixed a BT 2 number plate.

“It has a BU 808 number plate but shortly it will have the official BT 2 number plate when certain issues are sorted out at the Road Traffic,” said an official at the Council who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Nyasa Times could however not establish the real cost of the vehicle which  -some suggested could be in the ranges of K 29m to K 52m but a source at the council confirmed that the Mayor’s vehicle has been on the road- for the past four weeks.

“It is true that the Blantyre City Council has purchased vehicles for the City Mayor and his Deputy at HTD and Toyota Malawi, respectively.

“The first payment was made two weeks before the vehicle was delivered while the second payment is to be before this month ends while the last one will be made before the year ends,” said another source at the Civic Centre.

The two have been using personal vehicles for the first two months but the council hired a Toyota Fortune for the Mayor who has used it before the purchase of the KIA Sorrento. The Fortuner was later handed over to the Deputy for temporary use before his official was bought.

According to  Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MoLGRD)  Public Relations Officer Muhlabase Mughogho,  Section 7(3) of the Local Government Act gives powers to the mayor to provide leadership in councils, performing ceremonial roles, representing the council on public and civic functions and ensuring that the standing orders are followed, among others.

“Mayors will be receiving a monthly ward allowance of K80,000, this is not a monthly salary, it’s more or less like an allowance, plus a monthly honorarium of K30,000,” she said.

Mughogho said mayors are also entitled to housing, executive saloon vehicle (councils will be providing a 4 x 4 car when the mayor is on official duties); airtime, medical aid and councils are responsible for their welfare.