Check CSO operations too, Mzuzu journalists told
Phunzirani Development Organisation (PDO) has urged journalists in Mzuzu to extend their watchdog role to civil society organisations (CSOs) apart from government.
Speaking during a news conference in Mzuzu on Tuesday, PDO director Kinnear Mlowoka alleged that there is a lot happening within CSOs ranging from misuse of donor funds to poor service provision.
He said: “We have 7 000 registered CSOs in the country. All of them are receiving funds from donors.
“But if you go around tracking the impact they are making in the communities they operate, you find almost nothing.”
He urged the media to also expose such malpractices adding that on many occasions, journalists in the country focus on exposing corruption in government, neglecting CSOs involved in misuse of donor funds collected in the name of poor Malawians.
Mlowoka said the media should be aggressive in exposing CSOs’ audit queries.
PDO is one of the organisations that implemented issue-based civic and voter education during the 2014 tripartite elections with support from National Democratic Institute (NDI).
Meanwhile, the organisation has secured extra funding from NDI amounting to K23 million ($41,071) to implement a six month Citizen Participation in Promotion of Services Delivery and Management of Resources Project through the results based management approach.
