By Llywellenie Mpasa:
Bangwe Ntopwa Ward Councillor Isaac Jomo Osman has been elected Mayor for Blantyre City, putting at the helm of Malawi’s commercial capital for the next two and a half years.
His election Friday means the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has grabbed all the four mayoral roles in Malawi.
Early in the week, DPP’s Chigoneka-Mtsiriza Ward councillor Peter Alex Banda was elected Lilongwe City Council.
On Thursday, councillors in Mzuzu City elected DPP councillor, Chiyembekezo Moses, as Mayor.
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Yesterday, DPP’s Christopher Jana of Mpira Ward got re-elected as Mayor for Zomba City.
Osman, who served as Deputy Mayor, secured 15 votes, defeating fellow DPP councillors Eric Mofolo, who collected 11 votes, and Joseph Makwinja, who received 4 votes.
In his acceptance speech, Osman pledged to prioritise development, security and economic growth for the city.
“We aim to make Blantyre secure, cleaner, more prosperous and a city that serves all its residents, not just a few,” he said.
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Osman, who was first elected as councillor in 2019, has risen from early life as a street child and minibus tout to establish himself in local government politics.
In an interview yesterday, he said he would make use of his life experiences to improve safety in the city.
“My background [as a street child and minibus call boy] will help me address violence involving street-connected children and find better, more humane ways of resolving such issues,” he said.
At the elections, the council also confirmed the election of DPP Gerald Lipikwe, councillor for Limbe-Chiwembe Ward, as Deputy Mayor.
He narrowly edged out other contenders, including George Alinane Chipwete (DPP) of Soche– Chimwankhunda–Namwiri Ward, Yolanda Nellie Longwe (Independent) of Michiru Ward, Phillip Kametah (DPP) of Chilomoni Ward, Thom Lita (DPP) of Ndirande Makata and Jonas Kamwendo (DPP) of South Lunzu Ward.
The council also conducted the swearing-in and oath-taking ceremony for 30 newly-elected councillors, officially commencing their five-year term.
Blantyre City Council Chief Executive Officer Dennis Chinsewu welcomed the newly-elected councillors to the chamber.
In his address, he stressed the value of teamwork and cooperation.
“The Secretariat welcomes the newly-elected councillors to the chamber for a collaborative working partnership that will benefit all residents of Blantyre.
“We look forward to productive engagement between the council and the administration to advance the city’s development agenda,” he said.
