By Leonard Masauli:
Every day, Malawis major cities continue to swell under the pressure of rapid urbanisation.
In Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Zomba, growing populations are stretching already strained infrastructure as people flock to urban centres in search of jobs, better services and business opportunities.
But while urbanisation has stimulated trade, transport connectivity, tourism and economic activity, it has also brought mounting challenges including congestion, unemployment, housing shortages and pressure on public services.
Now, government believes the answer may lie beyond the countrys traditional cities.
Through the World Bank-funded Regional Climate Resilience Programme, Malawi is developing Urban Structure Plans aimed at transforming selected towns into secondary cities that can drive economic growth while easing pressure on major urban centres.
The proposed secondary cities include Liwonde, Karonga, Nkhata Bay, Salima, Mangochi, Kasungu, Luchenza and Bangula.
Among the most strategically positioned is Liwonde Township in Machinga District, an area officials and planners increasingly view as a future economic growth hub.
Situated along the Shire River Valley, Liwonde already serves as an important transport and commercial centre connecting routes to Zomba, Lilongwe, Balaka, Machinga and Mangochi.
The town also hosts a railway line linking Malawi to the Port of Nacala in Mozambique, a development experts say places the country in a favourable position to expand trade and industrial activity.
Beyond transport and commerce, Liwondes proximity to Liwonde National Park and the Shire River gives it additional potential in tourism and hospitality.
For years, many development experts argued that Malawis growth has remained heavily concentrated in a few major cities, leaving smaller towns and rural areas lagging behind.
Government officials say the new secondary cities initiative is designed to change that pattern.
Coordinator for Spatial Planning Components for the secondary cities initiative, who is also Deputy Commissioner for Physical Planning responsible for Development Management, Jailos Lungu, says secondary cities are intended to bridge the gap between rural areas and the countrys main urban centres.
These are middle urban areas between the major cities and rural communities. The idea is to create economic centres that can stimulate growth closer to where people live, says Lungu.
He explains that previous development strategies did not fully deliver the expected results.
We initially invested heavily in major cities like Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Zomba with the expectation that development would spread to rural areas, but that did not happen as expected.
We also attempted to promote rural growth centres, but the investments required were too enormous and difficult to sustain, he says.
According to Lungu, the secondary cities concept is expected to create a more balanced development model by promoting industries, processing plants and commercial activities closer to farming communities.
This will create jobs locally and reduce migration to already congested cities. We believe secondary cities will help redistribute the population and ease pressure on housing, employment and public services in major urban areas, he says.
Lungu says Liwonde alone has received K85 million for the development of spatial plans focusing on transit-oriented industrial and commercial development.
The plans are expected to guide future investments in industries, factories, transport systems and urban infrastructure.
National Planning Commission Senior Development Planning Specialist responsible for infrastructure, Maxwell Maida, says secondary cities could significantly contribute to Malawis long-term economic transformation agenda.
He says urban areas already contribute more than 40 percent to Malawis Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and government expects that contribution to rise as secondary cities develop.
Secondary cities are critical in wealth creation. They will stimulate economic activity, create jobs and improve infrastructure while expanding opportunities beyond the traditional urban centres, says Maida.
Economic expert Velli Nyirongo describes the initiative as a positive and forward-looking strategy capable of distributing economic opportunities more fairly across the country.
The targeted towns will attract private investment, stimulate local businesses and create employment opportunities, says Nyirongo.
He says the initiative could also improve market access for farmers and encourage industrial development closer to sources of raw materials.
Over time, this can help reduce regional inequalities and improve living standards in rural and peri-urban communities, he says.
However, Nyirongo cautions that infrastructure alone will not guarantee success.
He says government must complement the initiative with investments in electricity, water supply, roads, digital connectivity, education and healthcare services.
There is also a need to create an enabling environment that encourages private sector participation and investment in these emerging urban centres, he adds.
In Machinga, local authorities are optimistic that Liwondes transformation could unlock new economic opportunities for the district.
District Commissioner for Machinga, Dr. Martha Sineta, says the initiative has potential to promote job creation, improve service delivery and strengthen local revenue generation.
The district stands to benefit because we already have valuable natural resources and tourism potential that can support economic growth, she says.
Traditional leaders have also welcomed the development.
Paramount Chief Kawinga says Liwonde has long been recognised as a strategic location for future urban growth because of its transport links and geographical position.
Liwonde is well positioned because it connects easily to other districts through road, rail and water transport. This gives it strong potential for fast growth, says Kawinga.
He recalls that even in earlier years, planners had identified Liwonde as an area suitable for city status because of its strategic importance.
As Malawi pushes to implement its Vision 2063 development agenda, authorities believe secondary cities could become an important tool in promoting inclusive economic growth while reducing pressure on overstretched major cities.
For many communities, the hope is that development will no longer remain concentrated in a handful of urban centres, but spread more evenly across the country, bringing jobs, industries and opportunities closer to where people live.
