Nankhumwa condemns Chakwera for moving headquarters of govt institutions to Lilongwe: Blantyre will suffer like Zomba
Embattled leader of opposition Kondwani Nankhumwa has taken a swipe at President Lazarus Chakwera for continuing with the policy of relocating the headquarters of various parastatals, government departments and agencies from Blantyre to Lilongwe.
Delivering his response to the State of Nation Address (SONA) on Tuesday in parliament, Nankhumwa said he strongly condemn this move, as it contradicts the principle of equitable distribution of resources within an economy.
“When the late Ngwazi Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda relocated the Capital City from Zomba to Lilongwe, Zomba suffered immensely; its economy dwindled, and livelihoods were shattered. We cannot allow a similar fate to befall Blantyre, especially considering the lack of a convincing rationale provided by the government for this policy direction,” he said.
He believes that this decision is being executed without a coherent plan.
“If unchecked, Lilongwe will soon become an overpopulated city, plagued by the negative consequences of unplanned urbanization. We are already witnessing a rise in criminal activities and the emergence of slums in the Capital City. Furthermore, public health concerns, such as Cholera outbreaks resulting from poor hygiene due to overcrowding, are becoming increasingly prevalent. One must question whether the President is receiving sound advice on this matter,” he said.
Nankhumwa further said the objective of the Local Council Act is to empower councils and districts so that development is evenly distributed.
“Therefore, the decision to transfer headquarters of parastatals, government departments and agencies to Lilongwe goes counter to this empowering framework,” he said.
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