Malawi President Mutharika says to borrow leaf from Rwanda’s Paul Kagame on decent housing program
While observing that Rwanda used almost the same approach and strategy his government has employed in implementing the Decent Housing Program popularly known as the Malata subsidy program, Mutharika said the program will transform the lives of most rural Malawians.
“While in Ethiopia I had a meeting with Rwandan President {Paul Kagame} where among other things I learned that within a period of ten years they have managed to turn mud and grass thatched houses into modern decent houses,” he disclosed.
“Initially I thought we can do the same in 20 years but my friend has assured me that we can do the same in ten years like they did,” said Mutharika.
Mutharika further said from the interaction, he learned that for the initiative to succeed, it has to be split into two parts, subsidy for those that can afford and free houses for the vulnerable.
“For the success of the program, we will have to continue with the subsidy part while building free houses for those that cannot afford such as the elderly, child headed households and the like,” Mutharika said.
Mutharika also said apart from improving the wellbeing of Malawians in general the decent housing program is in away part of the disaster preventing strategy, arguing most of the houses that were affected by the recent floods were mud and grass thatched.
Currently, the program which was launched early this year is targeting 100 houses per constituencies.
