Deputy Minister of Lands Deus Gumba has expressed satisfaction with the progress of houses for Malawi Defence Force (MDF) and Malawi Police Service (MPS) officers under construction in Zomba District.

He said this on Wednesday when he visited Changalume Barracks and Zomba Police Training College where government is constructing 50 and 35 staff houses, respectively.

Said Gumba: “I am satisfied with the progress made in the project’s first phase. There are indications that the project will meet its deadline.

Gumba (in helmet) being briefed by Magwaya in Zomba

“This is the contractor that we would recommend for some more projects. Looking at the progress this far, I am convinced that by December, as planned, construction will be completed in Zomba.”

He also said government wants to engage more local contractors on the project.

“It is government’s interest that Malawian contractors are preferred [in the award of contracts] to undertake construction works to promote economic empowerment,” said Gumba.

He also said government is planning to start building storeyed staff houses and hostels in the next phases as one way of capitalising on land resurces.

Southern Region 93 Brigade Commander Colonel Precious Basikolo thanked government for the staff houses.

“Half of our officers commute from Zomba Boma, which is far from Changalume Barracks. This makes our operations difficult. Once these houses are completed, we hope things will be better,” he said.

On her part, Eastern Region Police Commissioner Violet Magwaya said some officers live in rented houses away from their duty station.

“Accommodation is a big problem at Zomba Police Training College. Officers from Zomba Police Station and college are accommodated at police college housing area,” she said.

Government launched construction of 10 000 houses for security agencies across the country in December 2020.

Under the project, MDF) and MPS will each get 4 000 houses, while Malawi Prison Service and the Department of Immigration will each get 1 000 houses.

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