Moam bemoans council’s delay in allocating minibus terminal land

The Minibus Owners Association of Malawi (Moam) has raised concerns about the Blantyre City Council’s delay to give them land to build a minibus terminal in Limbe.

But the council has said they cannot allocate Moam land for another project when they have not yet completed the Mibawa Minibus Terminal in Blantyre.

In an interview on Monday, Moam general secretary Coxley Kamange said it is worrisome that the council has not allocated them land when the rainy season is approaching.

“Our desire is that we should have a common loading zone as this will improve minibus movement. If there is just one minibus terminal in Limbe, passengers will not have to walk long distances to find other minibuses,” said Kamange.

Blantyre City Council’s town planning and estates service director Costly Chanza, however, said Moam has failed to show commitment when it was given land to build a minibus terminal in Blantyre as the Mibawa Terminal is not yet complete.

“Moam cannot be given yet another project when it has got another project still at hand. They have to first complete the Mibawa Minibus Terminal and then start asking for a place in Limbe,” he said.

Chanza disclosed that the council can as well give the project to some other than Moam because it has shown its incompetence.

But Kamange said the council should not use his association’s failure to complete the Mibawa Terminal as a scapegoat to delay allocating the land.

“The council should not blame us for irresponsibility because the delay to complete Mibawa Minibus Terminal has been caused by things beyond our control such as the shortage of fuel and lack of cement, among others,” said Kamange.