Discriminatory land use planning and flood risk management in Karonga Town, Malawi

Authors

  • James Gondwe Mzuzu University
  • Mtafu Zeleza .A Manda Mzuzu University
  • Dominic Kamlomo

Keywords:

Land use planning, risk reduction, low income residents, informal spaces, pressure and release model

Abstract

This study examines how discriminatory land use planning predisposes the low income residents to flood disaster risks in Karonga town, Malawi. Using a qualitative research design, in-depth interviews were conducted with ten government and non government institutions engaged in land use planning and disaster risk management and traditional leaders. The study showed that theoretical aims of land use planning to improve the living environment remain partial and in certain cases exacerbate risks posed by floods because the planning tool divides the urban landscape into formal and informal spaces. Such separation which coincided with incomes levels forced the marginalised and urban poor to occupy flood-prone areas While literature on flood control promotes an integrated approach to flood risk management, land use planning practice is singled out as a regulatory measure which ironically not only fails to meet the needs, but also increases vulnerability to flood risks, of the urban poor residents. The study further revealed that land use planning has failed to reduce flood disaster risks in informal spaces because it is not compatible with the needs of the urban poor.

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Author Biographies

James Gondwe, Mzuzu University

Department of Geography & Earth Sciences

Senior Lecturer. .Academic qualification, Master of Science:Human Geography. Research interests: Urban informality, Sustainable urban environments and disaster risk management

Mtafu Zeleza .A Manda, Mzuzu University

Mtafu Zeleza Manda is a Senior Lecturer in Planning, Land Management Department at Mzuzu University, Malawi. He is also Director of Urban Research & Advocacy Centre (URAC), a research NGO based in Mzuzu, Malawi. He is a PhD Candidate at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. He obtained has Master of Science in urban planning at University College London. He also has post graduate diploma in Housing form Netherlands Institute of Housing and Urban Studies and Post graduate diploma is population and sustainable development from University of Botswana.  His research interests are: urban informality, disaster management and urban food security. 

Dominic Kamlomo

PhD student in Urban and Regional Planning (anticipated in 2019). Hold a Masters degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Heriot-Watt University- Edinburgh, Scotland.  I am a registered Chartered Physical Planner with The Malawi Institute of Physical Planning and I have 26 years practical experience in land use planning and development control and have mainly worked for Malawi Government in preparation of development plans for Urban and Rural Growth Centres in Malawi. In the past six years I have been lecturing in Physical Planning at Mzuzu University but also been involved in various research and consultancy work with local and international organizations. For the past two years I have been working on flood risk management in Karonga Town within the Urban Ark Project which is being funded by DfiD and the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK.

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Published

2017-11-24

How to Cite

Gondwe, J., Manda, M. Z. .A, & Kamlomo, D. (2017). Discriminatory land use planning and flood risk management in Karonga Town, Malawi. Journal of Human Sciences, 14(4), 3343–3355. Retrieved from https://j-humansciences.com/ojs/index.php/IJHS/article/view/4706

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Section

Urban and Regional Planning