Lilongwe

Lilongwe is the capital and largest city of Malawi. It has grown a lot over the years.

The city is in the central part of Malawi, in a district that shares its name, close to the borders with Mozambique and Zambia. Lilongwe is an important place for business and travel in central Malawi. The city gets its name from the Lilongwe River, which flows nearby.

History

Lilongwe began as a place for local leaders around 1902 and later became important for government work in 1904. In the 1920s, its location at the meeting point of several major roads helped it grow as a market for farmers.

Lilongwe became an official town in 1947 and grew more important after Malawi gained independence. In 1965, the country's first president chose it as a key place for growth. Lilongwe officially became the capital of Malawi in 1975, replacing Zomba. By 2005, all government offices had moved there.

Development in the 1970s and 1980s included building Lilongwe International Airport, rail connections, industrial zones, and programs to support farming. The city's population has been growing quickly.

Planning history

The first plan for Lilongwe was made in 1955, before it was chosen as the capital in 1965. The plan aimed to make government work easier and help develop central and northern Malawi. Experts created a master plan in 1968 to guide later planning.

The city was designed with four main centers to avoid crowded streets. Each center had areas for homes, jobs, and services. These centers were Old Town, City Centre, Kanengo, and Lumbadzi. The plan also focused on creating parks and open spaces.

By the mid-1970s, a new plan was needed to look more broadly at the city's growth. The 1978 Urban Structure Plan included changes to city boundaries and new planning for Lumbadzi and Kamuzu International Airport. This plan strongly influenced city planning.

The early development stages were finished by 1986. The city was well established, with most roads, water, and electricity in place. Later plans expanded the city’s area to include more land for housing. With help from Japan, new planning studies began in 2008 to guide future development.

The area of Lilongwe City is 393 km², with a population of about 989,318 as of the 2018 Census. While the city was planned with four main sectors, it has spread to the south, southwest, and west. There are areas where people have settled without planning. Finding and securing land for planned housing remains an urgent need.

Politics

Lilongwe is managed by the Lilongwe City Council, which is mostly led by the Malawi Congress Party.

The parliament of Malawi is located in Lilongwe.

Demographics

Lilongwe has grown very fast. In 1966, fewer than 20,000 people lived there. By 2018, almost a million people lived in the city. New neighborhoods formed around the city.

Many different groups of people live in Lilongwe. The largest group is the Chewa, making up over 42% of the people. Other groups include the Ngoni at about 17%, the Lomwe at around 14%, and smaller groups of Yao, Tumbuka, Mang'anja, Sena, Tonga, Nyanja, Nkhonde, Lambya, and Sukwa.

People in Lilongwe practice many religions. The largest group belongs to the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, followed by Catholicism. Other religions include Seventh-day Adventist, Baptist, Apostolic, Pentecostal, Anglican, other Christian groups, Islam, and traditional beliefs. Some people do not follow any religion.

Geography

Lilongwe is in Central Malawi, part of the East African Rift Valley. It is 1,050 metres above sea level along the Lilongwe River.

The city has a New and Old part. The New City has hotels, offices, and embassies. The Old City has markets, bus stops, cafes, and restaurants. Modern shops are next to older street markets.

Lilongwe has many places for homes, shops, and offices. Some areas have small houses, some have tall buildings, and others have businesses and factories. The city is growing, especially in the south.

Lilongwe has a warm climate with mild winters. It rains from December to March, and the dry season is from April to August. The city can get a lot of rain in the wet months.

Economy

See also: Economy of Malawi

Lilongwe is very important for Malawi because many government offices and public services are there. Even though Blantyre is the main commercial city, Lilongwe has a special area called Kanengo in the north where many jobs are done. People in Kanengo work in food processing, storing and selling tobacco, and keeping maize safe. Other important jobs in Lilongwe include banking, selling things in shops, building, moving goods and people, working for the government, attracting visitors, and making tobacco products.

Many people in Lilongwe live in areas that are not officially planned, and some families don’t have much money. Not everyone who wants a job can find one, but many people work for the government, while others have jobs in businesses or work for themselves.

Transportation

Airport

Kamuzu International Airport (LLW) is north of the city, about 7 kilometres away. It is the oldest airport in the country.

Buses

Buses go regularly from Lilongwe to Blantyre, Zomba, Kasungu, and Mzuzu. International buses travel daily to South Africa, Zambia, and Tanzania.

The city's main roads include a north–south road (M1), an inner ring road, an outer ring road, the Nacala corridor, and roads to Kamuzu International Airport. The inner ring road connects to M1 and serves busy areas in the city centre. The outer ring road helps traffic for industries avoid the main city. Recent road improvements have made the city look better and travel easier.

Rail

There is a rail service to Lilongwe. The Sena railway line goes west toward Zambia and east to Salima.

Education

Lilongwe has many schools and a university. The University of Malawi began in 1964. The city also has many primary and secondary schools where students go to learn and grow.

Places of worship

Lilongwe has many important places where people come together for their faith. Most of these are Christian churches and temples, including the Lutheran Church of Central Africa, the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, the Baptist Convention of Malawi, the Assemblies of God, and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe. There are also mosques for people who practice Islam.

Sport

Lilongwe has a big new stadium called Bingu National Stadium. It can hold 40,000 people. It was finished with help from China and opened in early 2017. Other football stadiums in the city include Silver Stadium, Civo Stadium, and Nankhaka Ground. Popular football teams in Lilongwe are Silver Strikers, Civo Sporting, Blue Eagles, and Kamuzu Barracks.

People in Lilongwe also enjoy basketball, netball, and rugby. Basketball is played at places like African Bible College and Don Bosco. Netball is popular at Gateway Mall and other spots. A new sports complex near Bingu National Stadium opened recently, where people can play basketball, volleyball, and netball. The complex is named Griffin Sayenda Sports Complex.

Twin towns – sister cities

Lilongwe has special friendships with two other cities around the world. It is twinned with Taipei in Taiwan since 1984, and with Lusaka in Zambia since 2004. These partnerships help the cities share ideas and support each other.