Property owners back MHC’s plan to overhaul Malangalanga quarters

Property owners in Lilongwe’s Area 1, Malangalanga, have given unanimous backing to a redevelopment plan put forward by the Malawi Housing Corporation (MHC), the state’s statutory property landlord, marking a significant step for the state-run agency’s urban renewal ambitions.

The endorsement followed a stakeholder meeting on August 9 at the Simama Hotel in Lilongwe, attended by affected property owners, local civic leaders, the area’s Member of Parliament and ward councillors, MHC said in a statement on Wednesday.

Under the plan, the corporation will replace the area’s dilapidated staff quarters with housing stock it describes as modern, safe and affordable. The scheme also encompasses broader infrastructure works across Area 1, including road upgrades, drainage systems, street lighting and green space provision. MHC said the project would support local employment during both the construction phase and subsequent maintenance operations.

Property owners used the consultation to press for prompt valuations of their holdings, a step that would allow them to choose between cash compensation and house-swap arrangements — terms likely to shape the pace of the corporation’s rollout.

Bob Chimkango, MHC’s chief executive, characterised the community’s support as a turning point for the agency’s housing strategy. “The unanimous backing from the Malangalanga property owners marks a pivotal milestone for this initiative,” he said, adding that the corporation would pursue the project “with complete transparency, accountability and speed.”

Chimkango said MHC intended to position the Malangalanga scheme as a template for further redevelopment projects nationally, describing it as a potential benchmark for urban renewal initiatives that could be replicated across Malawi.

MHC, which operates under the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development as the country’s statutory property landlord, will oversee the project’s execution.