Mtafu is a Senior Lecturer in Planning in Land Management Department. His research interests are urban informality, disaster risk management, tenure security, and urban livelihoods. Through a not-for-profit Urban Research and Advocacy Centre (Urac), Mtafu also supports community based organisations including the Mzuzu Urban Farmers Network (MUFNet) and Child Development Support Organisation (CHIDESO). He is instrumental in the establishment of the Malawi Urban Network (Malawi UrbaNet), a grouping of civil society, professional  institutes, research organisations and individuals in Malawi