Reacting to concerns of growing poor sanitation in the city, especially Old Town, Mayor Richard Banda said the situation is such due to a shortage of garbage collection vehicles, hence calling on residents to take the responsibility of ensuring that their surroundings are clean.

Environmental activist Matthews Malata has, however, blamed the city council for failure to enforce its own laws that would ensure the city is clean and punish those involved in poor waste management.

It is an open secret that the capital of Malawi is the filthiest of all cities in Malawi. A walk in Old Town treats you to spills of garbage, clogged waterways and a heavily polluted river, just to mention but a few.

This is not just an eyesore but a deterrent to business, says Lilongwe Vendors Association chairman Hardwell Kachibekete.

Kachibekete said; “We have been telling the city council about the issue but all we are told is that they will dispose of the cabbage, so we would like to have a meeting with them so as to hear from them the required place to dispose of the cabbage.”

Malata thinks despite having limited equipment, the council has itself to blame for not enforcing its own bylaws.

Malata said; “They don’t implement the bylaws; we don’t have a city police in this country so people are not afraid of anything. People are able to do whatever they want anytime so this is a big challenge. However, the same council has been failing to monitor and enforce the same bylaws.

“On the part of the citizens, it should be upon us to contribute to good health practices, in making sure we are dumping waste in the required places set by the city council.”

Mayor Banda, concerned with the situation, says the council will initiate new measures to restore the city’s beauty.

Banda said; “Actually the sanitation in our city is not okay. We have put some measures in place that maybe we need to have some of the city staff to be sweeping during the night and we need also to buy some other trucks that will be collecting garbage during the day.”

For a long time now, people have complained that sanitation leaves a lot to be desired in Lilongwe, Malawi’s largest commercial and administrative hub with a population of about 2 million.

(By Doreen Shamiel Mwale-ZBS)