New Lilongwe City mayor Juliana Kaduya has unveiled plans for the city which she said has the potential to transform itself into a befitting Capital City using the revenue it generates.
The mayor has since promised to introduce an automated revenue collection system to ensure transparency and accountability.
Briefing journalists on her plans during her term, Kaduya observed that the council loses billions through corruption which deprives the city of development.
The mayor said the council has the capacity to collect K5 billion annually, but does not manage because of corruption.
“If we are strict on revenue collection we can do great things. We can construct three recreation parks in the next two years. That is my plan.
“We will have a park in Area 18, 13 and off Paul Kagame Highway. We have the capacity to do that from local revenue,” she said.
Kaduya, who previously served as deputy mayor, also said sanitation and hygiene and street lights will be among the council’s priorities alongside expansion of the sewer network.
Professor of economics at Chancellor College Ben Kaluwa has since commended the vision shared by the mayor.
“This is commendable and visionary. Urban planning needs such things. If we continue selling the land to people for private use we will end up having no places for our children for recreation,” he said.
He, however, asked the council to find ways to decongest the city’s traffic, saying it slows down economic activities.
