PRESS STATEMENT

USAID and NDI Promote Citizens Participation in Local Government Developments

10/28/2014

The National Democratic Institute (NDI) is pleased to announce it will hold a two-day training
workshop for councilors from Balaka and Machinga at Hippo View Lodge in Liwonde from
October 30 to 31, 2014. This is part of the Malawi Electoral and Decentralization Activity
(MEDA), implemented by NDI since 2013 through support from USAID.

This first workshop will serve as the launch of projects promoting positive relationships
between local government and citizens initiative. A similar workshop for councilors from
Lilongwe rural will be conducted from November 5 to 6, 2014 in Lilongwe. Participants will
learn how to include citizen participation in local government developments. The event will
help participants better understand their roles and responsibilities as well as give them an
opportunity to network and share experiences.

Through MEDA, NDI is promoting citizen interaction with government officials in the districts of
Lilongwe Rural, Balaka, and Machinga, and helping civil society organizations build skills to
ensure that campaign promises made during the pre-election period are realized. The program
supports collaboration at the district level by including stakeholders such as ward councillors,
district level civil servant staff, and Members of Parliament to address important local issues
such as improving service delivery in health, water, and agriculture. The program will help
citizens voice their concerns, promote accountability, and support local government by
enhancing communication, responsiveness, and transparency on key development concerns in
the districts.

For more details please contact the Country Director, Mr. Taona Mwanyisa on: 0997 956 950,
email: tmwanyisa@ndi.org or the Deputy Director, Ms Sandy Quimbaya on 0997 956 951,
email: squimbaya@ndi.org.
NDI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nongovernmental organization that has supported democratic
institutions and practices in every region of the world for the last 30 years. NDI and its national
partners have worked to establish and strengthen political and civic organizations, safeguard
elections, and promote citizen participation, openness and accountability in government. NDI is
currently working in more than 60 countries. More than 40 percent of its work is in sub-Saharan
Africa. More information is available at www.ndi.org.