Blantyre City Mayor Isaac Jomo Osman has reached another milestone after he was elected Malawi Local Government Association (Malga) president during a meeting held at Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe.
Osman, who has made headlines through his efforts to, among others, improve sanitation and rid the city of street-vending, beat Nkhata Bay District Council chairperson Hannock Kachingwe 34 votes against 2.
Ntchisi District Council chairperson Joseph Chimkombero went unopposed for the position of Vice-President after another candidate withdrew.
The election was administered by Malawi Electoral Commission after the previous executive committee’s term expired.
In his acceptance speech, Osman said he would strive to unite Ward Councillors and MPs whose relationship has been strained over the control of Constituency Development Fund which has been increased from K200 million to K5 billion in each Constituency.
He said: “There are some issues between MPs and Councillors. I want to bring people together for a better of Malawi because we are all politicians.
“Our President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has an agenda to make Malawi a better place. And it’s not good for us councillors and MPs to keep on quarrelling My first job is to bring councillors and MPs to work as a team.”
Osman also said he has a daunting task as he is heading all councils led District Commissioners and Chief Executive Officers.
“I am the President of Malga but I am representing the DCs and CEOs so I would like to bring those people together and the private sector. Those that support local council agenda. We need to unite and work together as one family,” he emphasised.
Since he was elected Mayor of Blantyre, Osman has hit the ground running, engaging the community and market users to a clean-up exercise, engaged street-connected children to be responsible citizens and engaged the corporate world to assist the city.
Former Lilongwe City Mayor, Esther Amina Sagawa, who was the immediate-past Malga President, handed over the mantle to Osman.
