By Dean Chisambo
Zomba City Mayor Christopher Jana says all is set to unveil his development vision for the city soon, just days after Lilongwe City Mayor launched his own vision.
In an interview with _The Malawi Guardian_, Jana explained that the vision is already in place and what remains is to launch and implement it.
“You cannot have leadership and a city without giving the people a vision. As a leader, you first need to show people the direction you are going,” Jana said.
He described Zomba as a true city with no cases of vandalism. Streetlights, road signs, and other road infrastructure are intact and in place.
The Zomba mayor praised residents for being well educated and for their love and respect for the city. He said they are willing to move forward and make Zomba more beautiful.
“So in terms of vandalism, that is something we hear about in other cities,” he emphasized.
Jana also commended the Lilongwe City Mayor’s vision, calling it a good initiative. He stressed, however, that the most important thing is implementation.
“You can have a vision, but if you cannot implement it, it becomes useless and a waste of time. I am sure Lilongwe can do it because they have enough resources. By working with stakeholders and residents, they can achieve it,” he added.
During the launch of the Lilongwe mayor’s vision, Minister of Local Government and Urban Development Ben Phiri urged citizens to support the mayors’ visions to build better cities.
He said the ministry will ensure infrastructure is protected by measuring council performance, enhancing service delivery, and ensuring councils and citizens operate transparently.
Phiri added that government plans to introduce metropolitan police in all cities to protect public infrastructure.
According to officials, the Zomba City Mayor is expected to announce the date for launching his vision soon.
