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Harare Mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni exchanges gifts with Blantyre Municipality Deputy Mayor Councillor Joseph Makwinja at Town House in Harare yesterday. — (Picture by John Manzongo)

Melissa Makoto Herald Reporter
A delegation from Malawi’s Blantyre City Council is in Harare for an exchange programme with their peers from Harare City Council. The exchange programme will cover police works, waste management, local revenue as well as infrastructure development. Deputy Mayor of Blantyre City Council Mr Joseph Makwinja yesterday paid a courtesy call on Harare Mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni at Town House.

“Our mission is very simple: we have come to strengthen the cordial ties that exist between Blantyre and Harare and learn from you. I am sure that there are also some things you can learn from us too; back in Malawi we have a saying: “m’lendo ndiye adza ndi kalumo ka kuthwa”, which literally means “the guest brings a sharper knife”, so with the same spirit, I believe we will learn from each other in the three days that we will be here.,” said Mr Makwinja. Blantyre is keen to learn about Harare’s street lighting project.

“We have also embarked on a number of roads and street-lighting projects, however, we would like to learn how you undertake the construction projects, the challenges you face and how you overcome them,” said Clr Makwinja. Clr Manyenyeni said Harare City Council was to benefit from the interface with their southern African counterparts.

“There are opportunities to see what we have done right and wrong, what we can improve and we do expect it to be as mutual as possible. It is not one-sided, it will be more beneficial, it is a two-way. There is a north African saying: “A child who has never travelled thinks his mother is the best cook in the world”, so let us use this visit as an opportunity to perfect whatever we are trying to do,” he said. Blantyre City is experiencing challenges in waste management, as its population continues to grow, a similar situation that is facing Harare.