There is uncertainty on when Malawi Housing Corporation (MHC) Tenants Association and the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development will meet after the meeting failed to take place last week Monday due to a Cabinet reshuffle.
Former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Atupele Muluzi was scheduled to meet the tenants in Blantyre but the meeting was postponed after Muluzi was moved to Health Ministry in President Peter Mutharika’s latest Cabinet reshuffle.
In an interview yesterday, spokesperson for the tenants, Goodnews Mphande, said they have been expecting formal communication from the ministry as the failed meeting was organised by the then line minister.
He said officials told them that Muluzi’s replacement, Anna Kachikho, was yet to be briefed on the issue relating to the increase in house rentals by an average of 48 percent.
But the ministry’s spokesperson Charles Vintula distanced the ministry from organising the said meeting, saying the minister will just be present at the scheduled meeting upon invitation on a fixed date and her availability.
In June this year, the tenants planned to protest a rental hike by the corporation which was due to be implemented effective July 1.
MHC plans to increase house rentals effective September 1 this year at an undisclosed rate. n
