ARD-310

GROUP 1
Fletcher Moyo
Mangaliso Chima
Heather Musasa
Tiwonge Mkandawire

A STUDY OF A SMALL SUB-URBAN

COMMUNITY

MBAYANI

BLANTYRE
HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND

oBlantyre is located in the Southern region of

Malawi.
oIt is the commercial and industrial capital of the
country.
oIt was founded in 1876 by Scottish missionaries,
and named after the birthplace of David
Livingstone in Scotland.
oBlantyre became a township in 1895 and was
combined as the municipality of Blantyre-Limbe in
1956.
oIt became a city in 1966

The Blantyre CBD

MBAYANI:

HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND

oMbayani is a high density informal settlement 2km northeast of the Blantyre CBD along Zalewa road.
oIt originally developed as village stretching from the North
East of Likhubula river (Near the present mount Soche hotel)
to Chirimba stream, thus forming a boundary with Kameza
village.
oThe first people to settle there are said to have been the
Ngonis who came from the North to trade cattle at the CBD
oIt earned its name from the tumbuka term Mbayani
meaning Who are they a phrase that was often directed at
immigrants.

MERITS

PROXIMITY TO CBD
-This is advantageous for low income earners who can
easily commute to and from the business zone by foot.
ACCESIBILITY VIA ZALEWA AND M-1 ROADS
- This allows for easy transportation of goods to and from
the settlement
AVAILABILITY OF CHEAP LOCAL SERVICES AND GOODS
- Such as house rentals as low as MK 500 per month.
CAPACITY TO ACCOMMODATE LIVESTOCK
-Mbayani can accommodate livestock due to the
substantial amount of natural vegetation available.
AFFORDABILITY OF LAND
- The slum nature of the settlement allows for relatively
cheap and hence easily affordable land for settlement. It
therefore provides an ideal residential area for low income
earners.

DEMERITS

POPULATION DENSITY IS EXTREMELY HIGH

- This makes the settlement overcrowded and
uncomfortable to live in in terms of privacy as the units are
very close together.
THERE IS INADEQUACY OF BASIC SERVICES SUCH AS TAP
WATER AND ELECTRICITY
- This is due to the highly undulating land which would make
water piping difficult to install and pumping very costly.
EDUCATION AND MEDICAL SERVICES ARE HIGHLY LIMITED
-There is only one school catering to the whole settlements
children and this proves inadequate as it cannot accommodate
all of them. There are only two clinics which besides their small
size lack many health amenities for treatment of other cases.
HIGH CRIME RATES
- This is chiefly due to the slum nature of the settlement as
well as absence of law enforcement giving rise to
vandals/thieves.
LACKOF SECURITY
-This is due to the absence of a police station in the area or

DIFFICULTY EXERCISING AGRONOMICAL ACTIVITIES

- This is due to the rocky and thin nature of the soils.
DIFFICULTY CONSTRUCTING HOUSES
- This is due to the highly undulating topography of the
settlement that makes some of the greatly sloped land difficult
to build on using traditional materials.
POOR SANITATION
- Due to the absence of sewer systems, which leads to
improperly disposed of sewage waste, ie; mass accumulation of
grey water outside latrines leading to air pollution and outburst
of diseases such as cholera.
WATER, AIR AND NOISE POLLUTION
- Due to improperly disposed of waste water, carbon gas
from widespread use of wood and charcoal burners, and noise
from maize mills and bars playing loud music.
POOR UNMORTARED MAIN ROAD
- This results in air pollution by dust in the commercial zone
caused by vehicles as well as high accident risk during the
rainy season when the road is muddy and sliperly.

LANDSCAPE

oThe land is highly undulating, with thin rocky soils.

oThe settlement has both indigenous and exotic trees.
oThere is one small main stream and some intermittent streams
running from it

ZONING/ PLANNING

The area is zoned into 3:

*The Residential Zone, consisting of homes,
*The Commercial Zone, consisting of the local market,
*The Institutional Zone, consisting of the school and clinics.
Planning is portrayed by the systematic location of the school,
which is centralized in the area for easy accessibility by
convergence.
It is also located away from the commercial area to reduce risk of
accidents for pupils and avoid noises for effective learning.
Planning is also portrayed in the systematic location of the clinic,
along the M-1 road for easy accessibility.
KEY:
Brown-paths
Purple- main
road
Khaki- M-1
BeigeRailway
Greeen- Veg

LAND OWNERSHIP

In Mbayani the land is believed to be

owned by the chieftain along with various
elder citizens that are entitled to the land.
Culturally land is thereby obtained by
conferring to the chief with a consultation
fee and after negotiations paying the
charged amount. After that one may begin
to develop the land.
However in actuality, this settlement
developed on private, public and
customary land.
The Private land was owned by the
Asians and the Malawi Housing
Corporation.
The Public land was owned by the
Ministry of Lands and Ministry of
Agriculture
The Customary land was owned by
the Blantyre City Assembly

LAND USE AND PATHS

Land is used mainly for

residential purposes
Some of it is also used for
commercial purposes in
terms of the market,
entertainment considering
the bars and video show
rooms
Other parts have been
used for mosques, the clinic,
churches and the school.
There are two other roads
besides the M-1
A railway line also passes
through the area