MUTHARIKA PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALAWI AT AN AUDIENCE WITH THE MALAWI LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION (MALGA) KAMUZU PALACE, LILONGWE 19 APRIL 2016 1
Honourable Kondwani Nankhumwa, M.P., Minister of
Local Government and Rural Development Councilor Samson Chaziya, President of the Malawi Local Government Association, and your deputies Mr.
Stuart
Ligomeka,
The
Secretary
for
Local
Government and Rural Development
Members of the Malawi Local Government Association
Ladies and Gentlemen.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you here at
Kamuzu Palace. Your association is a key player in the democratization of our society. So when I see you, I see the potential of democracy. It therefore feels good to be among you today, the leadership of the umbrella body which brings together all local government authorities in Malawi. Through you, let me congratulate all the Councilors for being elected to their positions. Local governments are increasingly becoming the pinnacle of development. In this current financial year, for example, government allocated MK5 billion of the Development Budget to Local Authorities. Now councils are able to make their own decisions on the type and costs of projects, as they so wish. While on this matter, however, let me register my concern
through
you,
MALGA.
We
are
getting
increasingly, reports of lack of accountability in councils.
There are increasing levels of abuse of resources. Yes, theft and corruption in councils. And I would like to say, this 3
needs to be stopped as soon as possible, because this
discourages the central government and development partners alike from giving you more resources and responsibilities. And please, let us work together that we do not go back. It is the wish of my government to move towards full decentralization, which would entail devolving the financial, human and physical resources to councils. I therefore request the MALGA to help build the capacity of the councilors and support the accountability systems of councils. I am aware of a number of challenges that councils experience,
both
structural
and
systematic.
My
government is working hard to end those problems. I
know that some councils have no capacity to raise enough resources by themselves. I know the long standing issue of the role of Members of Parliament in Council processes. I know that some wards are bigger than others. I know many challenges.
However, let me assure you that Government is
doing everything possible to make our councils function to the desired levels. For example, we are reviewing the Local Government Act, and related Acts to be in line with modern demands of democracy and local governance. We will also re-demarcate wards after the coming population census. We have also made the Ministry of Local Government a priority agency in the Public Sector reforms, because we believe that if we get the local authority efficient and effective, we complete the formula of our development. Distinguished Councilors, you requested for this meeting, and so you are the ones with the issues for discussion and my attention. However, let me ask you to help Government in the fight for mindset change among Malawians. We need our people to believe in their abilities; to work hard; to be trustworthy; and to love their country. We need people that do not believe in handouts, but the fruits of their hard work.
I will therefore conclude, by appealing to all
councilors across the country to be exemplary by working hard, being of high integrity and patriotic. If we all walk together, and work hard together for this country, everybody will be happy in the end. A prosperous Malawi is possible, and that is what we must all work hard for. Once again, I welcome you to Kamuzu Palace, and thank you for your attention.
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