By Burnett Munthali
Lilongwe City Council (LCC) has received two additional fire engines from the Government of Japan in a boost to the capital’s emergency response capacity and efforts to protect lives, businesses and public infrastructure.
The specialised firefighting vehicles were officially handed over at Capital Hill on Friday, November 13, 2026, strengthening the council’s capacity to respond to fire emergencies across the rapidly expanding city.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Ben Phiri urged residents, property owners and businesses to pay their city rates, saying locally generated revenue is essential for effective municipal service delivery.
Phiri said councils need adequate financial resources to maintain public infrastructure and provide essential services, calling on residents to meet their obligations by paying rates on time.
“Paying city rates is essential because councils depend on this revenue to maintain public infrastructure and deliver services to the people,” he said.
Japan’s Ambassador to Malawi, Naito Yasushi, said the donated fire engines are specially designed to navigate narrow roads, making them suitable for densely populated neighbourhoods and areas that larger firefighting vehicles may struggle to access.
“The compact fire engines are designed to access narrow roads,” sa Yasushi.
He further disclosed that the latest donation brings to 20 the total number of fire engines Japan has provided to Malawi.
Yasushi said Japan’s support to Malawi also includes other essential vehicles, such as ambulances and waste collection trucks, aimed at improving public service delivery in various sectors.
