Mzuzu gets K800m for toilets

Mzuzu will now have more toilets, courtesy of European Union (EU) funding, local authorities have announced.

Speaking in a telephone interview on Thursday, Mzuzu City Council (MCC) chief executive officer Thomas Chirwa said his office has just received 1.7 million euro (around K800 million) to start a sanitation and hygiene project.

Chirwa noted that the city’s existing 11 public toilets, including two private ones, against 168 000 people were inadequate to serve residents and maintain hygiene.

He also said the Local Development Fund (LDF) has provided K149 million for the city to construct blocks and toilets in various schools.

Chirwa said a large part of the EU money will be used to manage a garbage site at Mchengautuba and collect refuse in some schools within the city.

But president of vendors in the Northern Region Stanley Simbeye, while being grateful for the funding, said having more paying public toilets was not enough.

He said the council’s health department should intensify sensitisation of people to the proper use of toilets.

Ackimu Gondwe and Marley Chiwona, who frequent Mzuzu streets because of their ‘sacramento’ bicycle transport business, wants the council to target toilet construction along the city’s streets, taxi ranks and service stations where they are needed.

Meanwhile, Chirwa said the city has just presented a proposal to government to have the pollute-penalty fee rise from the initial K500 to effectively fight pollution, including punishing people who urinate anyhow in the council.n