LANDS AND URBAN PLANNING

TRANSFORMING LAND MANAGEMENT AND URBAN PLANNING
FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
17.1 Overview
Land is one of Malawi’s most critical resources, serving as the foundation
for agriculture, housing, industry, mining, and tourism. However, decades of
mismanagement, corruption, and outdated systems have limited its contribution to
national development. While efforts have been made to address these challenges,
Malawi’s land management and urban planning remain fragmented, underfunded,
and inefficient.
Aligned with MW2063’s Inclusive Wealth Creation Pillar and enablers such as
Governance, Urbanization, and Technology Adoption, UTM’s agenda will focus on
transforming land management systems and promoting planned urban and rural
development. This transformation will prioritize sustainable use, equitable access,
and efficient systems that generate significant government revenue and improve
the quality of life for all Malawians.

17.2 Challenges in Land Management and Urban Planning

• Shortsighted and unperceptive leadership, resistant to mindset change: failing
  to implement effective land and urban planning policies.
• Unplanned Development: Scattered land use and unregulated construction due
  to a lack of formal planning in both urban and rural areas.
• Revenue Losses: The government collects only a fraction of potential ground
  rates due to weak enforcement mechanisms and inadequate documentation.
• Corruption in Land Allocation: Bribes and delays are prevalent in acquiring
  plots, discouraging ordinary citizens and businesses from participating in formal
  systems.
• Outdated Land Laws: Existing legislation is inadequate for addressing modern
  land tenure challenges, equitable access, and efficient use.
• Archaic Adoption of Technology: Limited digitization of land records perpetuates
  inefficiency and corruption in land administration systems.
• The absence of digitized title deeds hampering land security, ownership
  verification, and efficient property transactions.
  17.3 Target Milestones
  By 2030, UTM aims to:
• Achieve the documentation and leasing of 50% of Malawi’s land.
• Fully Implement the long over due Sectional Title and its relevant rules
• Increase revenue from land-related services by 50% annually through efficient
  enforcement and technology integration.
• Develop and implement smart land-use plans for 100% of districts and urban
  centers to ensure orderly and
  sustainable development.
• Build 100,000 affordable
  housing units annually
  through the Malawi Housing
  Corporation (MHC) and
  public-private partnerships
  (PPPs), with focus on high rise
  apartment buildings for better
  land usage.
• Fully digitize Malawi’s land
  records by 2027 to enhance
  transparency and efficiency.

17.4 UTM Pledges: Land Management and Urban Planning
17.4.1 Comprehensive Land Documentation
Alignment with MW2063: Advances Governance and promotes sustainable land
use by enhancing transparency and resource management.
UTM Pledges:

• Launch a national land survey and documentation program to ensure all land is
  properly leased, recorded, and categorized.
• Partner with local governments, traditional authorities, and private firms to
  accelerate the surveying and mapping of rural and urban areas.
• Ensure that all leases and land titles are digitized and linked to National IDs for
  accountability and ease of access.
  17.4.2 Revised Land Laws
  Alignment with MW2063: Supports Inclusive Wealth Creation by promoting
  equitable access to land and efficient use.
  UTM Pledges:
• Update land legislation to simplify leasing processes and address gaps that
  enable informal land occupation.
• Ensure secure tenure rights for individuals, communities, and businesses while
  protecting national interests.
  17.4.3 Optimizing Ground Rates
  Alignment with MW2063: Leverages
  Governance and promotes sustainable
  revenue generation.
  UTM Pledges:
• Introduce a scalable ground rate
  system, with fees determined by land
  use, location, and economic value.
• Launch an online payment system for
  ground rates and lease fees to reduce
  payment delays, corruption and
  inefficiency.

17.4.4 Urban and Rural Planning Expansion
Alignment with MW2063: Promotes Urbanization and enhances housing
accessibility.
UTM Pledges:

• Extend urban planning beyond the four major cities to include secondary towns
  and rural growth centers.
• Develop district-level land-use plans, integrating smart city and smart village
  concepts to enhance economic growth.
• Collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture through the DDAs to identify and
  officially demarcate agricultural zones across Malawi, ensuring sustainable land
  use and prioritizing areas for farming and food production.
• Collaborate with the Department of Forestry through the DDAs to identify and
  officially demarcate forest zones across Malawi. This will ensure sustainable land
  use, protect vital ecosystems, and establish priority areas for environmental
  conservation, aligning with Malawi’s broader ecological and development goals.
• Expand city boundaries to accommodate growth and improve service delivery in
  peri-urban areas.
• Bundled Utilities: Currently, cities are owed a lot of money. UTM will improve
  ground and city rates collections by bundling these rates with electricity or water
  billing systems to improve collection efficiency.
  17.4.5 Mining Land
  Management
  Alignment with MW2063:
  Supports Industrialization and
  promotes resource-based
  growth.
  UTM Pledges:
• Develop clear zoning and
  permitting systems for
  mining activities to ensure
  proper land use and
  environmental protection.
• Lease mining lands
  transparently, generating
  significant revenue for
  the government while
  safeguarding communities.

17.5 Estimated Investments and Funding Mechanisms
Estimated Investment: $3-5 billion over the next decade to fully survey Malawi,
build social housing, and improve land management.
Funding Sources:

• National Budget Allocation: Dedicate 3% of the national budget to land reform
  and urban planning projects.
• Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Collaborate with private investors to co-fund
  housing, smart city, and infrastructure initiatives.
• Social Impact Bonds: Use innovative financing mechanisms to attract
  investments tied to measurable outcomes.
• Donor Grants: Secure funding from international development partners to
  modernize land administration systems.
• MHC Capitalization: Recapitalize MHC and list it on the stock exchange to fund
  large-scale housing projects transparently.
• Ground Rates: With new land management laws to be implemented, government
  will now start collecting ground rates countrywide to be able to offer other public
  services.
• Crowdfunding & Fintech Solutions: Use digital platforms such as GoFundMe, Kiva,
  and housing projects crowdfunding initiatives to enable broad-based microcontributions towards housing and other projects.
• Diaspora Bonds & Investment Funds: Draw some funding from the newly formed
  Dziko Bond and other Investment Funds for projects implementation

Conclusion
Land is the foundation of governance, economic growth, and social equity.
Under UTM leadership, Malawi’s land management system will be transformed
into a transparent, efficient, and equitable framework that supports sustainable
development.
Aligned with MW2063’s Inclusive Wealth Creation and Urbanization goals, these
reforms will ensure that land becomes a catalyst for economic prosperity, better
housing, and improved quality of life. Together, we will build a Malawi where land
management empowers communities, attracts investment, and promotes national
progress.