Youthful William Mkandawire has been elected Mayor of Mzuzu at a swearing-in ceremony ending a K2 billion absence of councillors in the city’s local government system.
Mkandawire,29, is a teacher of science and Mathematics at his family’s Hard Target Secondary School in his Mchengautuwa Ward having obtained a bachelor of social science degree from Chancellor College in 2010 and will be deputised by his fellow Peoples Party (PP) councillor Frazer Chunga, 52.
At around 11.30am today, the councillor who majored in economics at the University of Malawi’s constituent college rose to the coveted seat with eight of 16 votes on offer—promising to help improve ragged roads, healthcare system and child affairs in the commercial hub of the Northern Region
In his acceptance, the self-acclaimed believer in team play said: “I am excited with the victory. I ask my fellow councillors to bury our party differences and work together to develop the city. This is our city, it’s our Malawi.
“Apart from reducing malaria, road problems, I will ensure that
security is tight so as to attract more investors.”
Mzuzu City has 15 wards and the councillors were sworn in by Dick Sankhulani, registrar of the High Court in Mzuzu.
The ceremony has ended nearly decade-old vacancies that left the city council into a toothless body.
Since the exit of previous councillors in 2005, the local government councils were replaced with district consultative forums whose members had no power to vote on policy and legislative resolution.
