Mzuzu City Council operates without urban development plans

Mzuzu City Council has been operating without an urban development plan (UDP) for the past months as its plans expired in July this year.

The council held a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and other stakeholders on Friday to formulate the UDP and the strategic plan.

According to the council’s director of planning and development Alexander Chirambo, the council is expected to formulate the blueprint by December this year.

“We need the plan to come up with our budgets for development activities and for resource mobilisation,” he said.

On his part, Ministry of Local Government deputy director of planning and policy Walusungu Kayira said the city is losing out on aid because development partners use the blueprint to fund projects.

He, therefore, urged the council to come up with the documents soon.

“As a mother ministry, we have assured the council of our support in the whole process. We will also talk to other development partners to source funds for the UDP,” he said.