Regional and Technical Cooperation Division

Malawi:
MZUZU urban PROFILE

1
 Copyright © United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), 2011
All rights reserved

United Nations Human Settlements Programme publications can be obtained from

UN-HABITAT’s Regional and Information Offices or directly from:
P.O. Box 30030, GPO 00100 Nairobi, Kenya.
Fax: + (254 20) 762 4266/7
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.unhabitat.org

This Mzuzu report and project was prepared and managed by the Late Dalitso Mpoola,
Costly Chanza, Fred Nankuyu, Hilary Kamela, the Late Marcel Kaunda, Alex Chirambo,
Lucky Kabanga, Mavuto D. Tembo, Dominic Kamlomo, and John Chome in Malawi.

This report was also managed by Kerstin Sommer, Alain Grimard, David Kithakye, Mathias
Spaliviero, and Doudou Mbye in Nairobi.

HS Number: HS/086/11E

ISBN Number: (Volume) 978-92-1-132036-7

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not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the
United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of
its authorities, or concerning delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries, or regarding its
economic system or degree of development. The analysis, conclusions and recommendations
of the report do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations Human Settlements
Programme (UN-HABITAT), the Governing Council of UN-HABITAT or its Member
States. This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European
Union. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of
the European Union.

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the source is indicated.

Photo credits: © UN-HABITAT

Acknowledgements
Design and Layout: Florence Kuria

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 Malawi:
MZUZU urban PROFILE
UNITED NATIONS HUMAN SETTLEMENTS PROGRAMME
REGIONAL AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION DIVISION

Table of contents

FOREWORDS 5

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 8

BACKGROUND 10

GOVERNANCE 15

SLUMS AND SHELTER 17

GENDER AND HIV/AIDS 19

ENVIRONMENT AND URBAN DISASTER RISKS 21

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 24

BASIC URBAN SERVICES 26

LAND 31

PROJECT PROPOSALS

GOVERNANCE 33

SLUMS AND SHELTER 36

GENDER AND HIV/AIDS 38

ENVIRONMENT AND URBAN DISASTER RISKS 40

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 42

BASIC URBAN SERVICES 44

LAND 48

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44 4
Forewords

According to As part of our drive to address this crisis, UN-HABITAT

research published is working with the European Commission and the
in UN-HABITAT’s1 Brussels-based Secretariat of the African, Caribbean
flagship report, The and Pacific (ACP) Group to support sustainable urban
State of the World’s development. Given the urgent and diverse needs, we
Cities 2010-2011, found it necessary to develop a tool for rapid assessment
all developing and strategic planning to guide immediate, mid and
regions, including long-term interventions. And here we have it in the
the African, form of this series of publications.
Caribbean and
Pacific states, will The Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme is based
have more people on the policy dialogue between UN-HABITAT, the
living in urban than ACP Secretariat and the European Commission which
rural areas by the dates back to the year 2002. When the three parties met
year 2030. With at UN-HABITAT headquarters in June 2009, more
half the world’s than 200 delegates from over 50 countries approved a
population already living in urban areas, the challenges resounding call on the international community to pay
we face in the battle against urban poverty, our quest for greater attention to these urbanization matters, and to
cities without slums, for cities where women feel safer, extend the slum upgrading programme to all countries
for inclusive cities with power, water and sanitation, in the ACP Group.
and affordable transport, for better planned cities, and
for cleaner, greener cities is daunting. It is worth recalling here how grateful we are that the
European Commission’s 9th European Development
But as this series shows, there are many interesting Fund for ACP countries provided EUR 4 million (USD
solutions and best practices to which we can turn. After 5.7 million at June 2011 rates) to enable UN-HABITAT
all, the figures tell us that during the decade 2000 to to conduct the programme which now serves 59 cities
2010, a total of 227 million people in the developing in 23 African countries, and more than 20 cities in six
countries moved out of slum conditions. In other Pacific, and four Caribbean countries.
words, governments, cities and partner institutions have
collectively exceeded the slum target of the Millennium Indeed, since its inception in 2008, the slum upgrading
Development Goals twice over and ten years ahead of programme has achieved the confidence of partners at
the agreed 2020 deadline. city and country level in Africa, the Caribbean and in
the Pacific. It is making a major contribution aimed
Asia and the Pacific stood at the forefront of successful at helping in urban poverty reduction efforts, as each
efforts to reach the slum target, with all governments report in this series shows."
in the region improving the lives of an estimated 172
million slum dwellers between 2000 and 2010. I wish to express my gratitude to the European
Commission and the ACP Secretariat for their
In sub-Saharan Africa though, the total proportion of commitment to this slum upgrading programme. I
the urban population living in slums has decreased by have every confidence that the results outlined in this
only 5 per cent (or 17 million people). Ghana, Senegal, profile, and others, will serve to guide the development
Uganda, and Rwanda were the most successful countries of responses for capacity building and investments in
in the sub-region, reducing the proportions of slum the urban sector.
dwellers by over one-fifth in the last decade.
Further, I would like to thank each Country Team for
Some 13 per cent of the progress made towards the their continued support to this process which is essential
global slum target occurred in Latin America and the for the successful implementation of the Participatory
Caribbean, where an estimated 30 million people have Slum Upgrading Programme.
moved out of slum conditions since the year 2000.
Yet, UN-HABITAT estimates confirm that the progress
made on the slum target has not been sufficient to counter
the demographic expansion in informal settlements in
the developing world. In this sense, efforts to reduce the
numbers of slum dwellers are neither satisfactory nor
adequate.
ForewordS

Dr. Joan Clos

Executive Director, UN-HABITAT
1 UN-HABITAT - United Nations Human Settlements Programme

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 Poverty reduction is the Malawi Government’s The Government of Malawi would like to thank UN-
overriding development objective as espoused in the HABITAT1, the European Union and the ACP2 Group
Malawi Growth and Development Strategy. In line of States for the technical and financial support towards
with this, the government recognizes the critical role the formulation of this profile. The commendable
played by the cities and other urban centres in the role of Mzuzu University (MZUNI) in facilitating the
socio-economic development of this country. Thriving process of the urban profile formulation as well as that
and well functioning cities will in turn lead to thriving of the chief executive, the PSUP city focal point, and
national economic development. management of Mzuzu City Council is appreciated.
Special mention is made of the first National Coordinator
Our cities and other urban areas which are growing of the PSUP in Malawi, the late Mr. Dalitso Mpoola
rapidly face a number of challenges, key among them who dedicated his time, skills and efforts to ensure the
is that of urban poverty that is characterized by, successful implementation of this phase. May his soul
among others, poor housing, poor access to water and rest in peace.
sanitation as well as unemployment. The cities also face
environmental challenges that are in part heightened by
poor urban planning and environmental degradation.
The Government therefore welcomes the Participatory
Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP) that is
coordinated by the Ministry of Local Government
and Rural Development and is being implemented in
all the four cities of Lilongwe, Blantyre, Mzuzu, and
Zomba. The urban profile for Mzuzu City, prepared
under the programme is an important document that
sets out the key challenges faced by the city in the areas Kester E. Kaphaizi
of governance, land and housing, slums, basic urban Principal Secretary for Local Government
services including water and sanitation, local economic and Rural Development
development, gender and HIV/AIDS, energy, disaster
risks, environment, and waste management.
Through a consultative process of city stakeholders,
the city council has identified the priority actions to be
carried out in support of efforts to achieve sustainable
urban development and reduce urban poverty. The
challenge is now to move forward to implement these
priority actions that seek to improve the quality of life
of the urban poor. In this regard, the Government of
Malawi will continue to support the city council under
the decentralized framework in achieving the poverty
reduction goals. Mzuzu City Council will need to
redouble its efforts and ensure that more resources
are allocated to pro-poor activities in the city. The
goal of ensuring sustainable urban development and
poverty reduction cannot be achieved by the efforts of
central government and the city councils alone. More
importantly, it will need the concerted efforts of all
stakeholders involved in the development of Mzuzu City
including the private sector, the civil society, political
and community leaders, development partners, and city
residents.
ForewordS

1 UN-HABITAT - United Nations Human Settlements Programme

2 ACP - Africa, Caribbean and Pacific

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 The Mzuzu Urban
Profile focuses on
the findings of a
desk study and
interviews with key
informants and
institutions as part
of the Participatory
Slum Upgrading
Pr o g r a m m e
(PSUP).
Through a
consultative
process, participants
resolved to address
the dominant
urban issues including Governance, Local Economic
Development, Land, Gender and HIV/AIDS,
Environment, Urban Disaster Risk Management,
Slums and Shelter, Basic Urban Services, Urban Safety,
and Waste Management as challenges that negatively
affect sustainable urban development. A consensus was
also reached on priority interventions in the form of
programmes and projects to be implemented in the
short and long term.
I wish to acknowledge the technical and non-technical
contributions made by individuals, institutions and
all other stakeholders that have enabled Mzuzu City
Council to prepare this report which will form the basis
for planning various city developments.

Richard C.Z. Hara

Chief Executive Officer
Mzuzu City Council
ForewordS

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 Executive summary

Introduction Governance
The Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP) Mzuzu City Council was established under the Local
is an accelerated and action-oriented urban assessment Government Act of 1998 and is composed of councilors
of needs and capacity-building gaps at the city level. The headed by a mayor and the secretariat headed by the chief
programme is supported by funds from the European executive officer. The council makes by-laws, policies and
Commission’s European Development Fund and is decisions and the secretariat provides technical guidance
currently being implemented in 23 African countries, 59 on policy making and implementation of council
African cities, 4 Pacific countries, 3 Caribbean countries, decisions. The council is facing a number of governance
and 21 Pacific and Caribbean cities. The Participatory challenges such as lack of elected councilors since 2005,
Slum Upgrading Programme uses a structured approach inadequate and outdated development policies and
where priority interventions are agreed upon through plans, a weak secretariat, weak financial management
consultative processes. The PSUP methodology consists capacity, and uncoordinated and conflicting multiple
of three phases: (1) a rapid participatory urban profiling land administration systems.
at national and local levels, focusing on Governance,
Local Economic Development, Land, Gender,
Environment, Slums and Shelter, Basic Urban Services,
and Waste Management, and proposed interventions; LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
(2) detailed priority proposals; and (3) project The main economic activities in Mzuzu include trade,
implementation. The Participatory Slum Upgrading manufacturing, agriculture, and informal business
Programme in Malawi encompasses a national profile, activities. The city is currently in the process of
as well as profiles for Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzuzu and drafting comprehensive urban management policies
Zomba, each published as a separate report. This is the and updating the land use plans. Once implemented
Mzuzu report and it constitutes a general background, these will steer local economic development and reduce
a synthesis of the seven themes; Governance, Local poverty in the city. Mzuzu’s economy is growing at
Economic Development, Land, Gender, Environment a rate of 5.8 percent per annum and the city has an
and Urban Disaster Risks, Slums and Shelter, and Basic estimated Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of MK2
Urban Services; and priority project proposals. 6,000,000,000. Poverty rates in Mzuzu are currently
at 34 percent. The timber industry is growing very fast
and is a major source of employment and livelihood for
many residents of Mzuzu.
Background
Mzuzu City, with a population of 133,968 and growing
at 4.2 percent per annum, is one of the fastest growing
cities in Malawi and is the third largest urban centre LAND
after Lilongwe and Blantyre. It is the hub of government Land is the most basic resource in Mzuzu and its
administration, business, industry, commerce, and sustainable management and administration is
services for the northern region of Malawi, and it serves a fundamental for ensuring equitable access to land for all
hinterland with a population of 1,708,930. Originating its citizens. Currently the city council owns and manages
from a Tung Oil Estate in 1947, the city has grown from 50 percent of all commercial land and 40 percent of all
23km2 to 143.8 km2 in 2008 and was declared a city in industrial estates in Mzuzu, as well as the Traditional
1985. However, the city lacks adequate infrastructure Housing Areas (THAs). The city council is confronted
and services. Over 60 percent of the population lives in with the challenge of inadequate capacity to control
unplanned settlements1. The city does not have adequate development in the city, the absence of an updated land
policies and regulations to support orderly and planned use map, lack of an up to date urban structure plan, and
growth. Improvement and expansion of service delivery, multiple players in land administration, such as; the
proper urban planning and good financial management Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development;
are crucial for the development of the city. Malawi Housing Corporation (MHC), Mzuzu City
Council; and traditional leaders. The Plot Allocation
Committee (PAC) carries out land allocation while the
Executive summary

Town Planning Committee (TPC) manages physical

预览已结束，完整报告链接和二维码如下： development in the city.
https://www.yunbaogao.cn/report/index/report?reportId=5_18947

1 Mzuzu City Council Urban Socio-Economic Profile, 2008, MCC (2008). 2 MK - Malawian Kwacha

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