Congoma rejects NGO Board

Congoma has rejected the newly-appointed NGO Board  in Malawi and says it will come up with a position on the way forward this Thursday.

 

President Bingu wa Mutharika, who is also Minister responsible for Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), made the appointments last December.

But in a press release on Wednesday, Council for Non-Governmental Organisations in Malawi (Congoma) board chairperson Voice Mhone criticised the appointments as based on political bias and that procedures were flouted.

Mhone cited Section 6(2) of the NGO Act which reads: “The [NGO] board shall function without political or religious bias or interference by donors, the government, an organ of the State or a political party.”

Said Mhone: “Unfortunately, all the names except one [Emily Banda] that government counter proposed were new. Several communications took place, including a meeting between Congoma and OPC [the Office of the President and Cabinet] on the same to find a common position on the names.

“Congoma’s final position was communicated to government in our letter of 9th February 2012 in which we rejected all the names except one. Our surprise is that while we await a response, we hear in the media that the board has been appointed with all the names that Congoma expressed reservations on, except Emily Banda and Levi Mihowa, whom we proposed.”

In a letter to Congoma executive director on December 1 2011, Chief Secretary to Government Bright Msaka enlisted Mabvuto Bamusi, Senior Chief Lukwa, Chris Kandulu, Trouble Kalua, Zelia Chakale, Rose Gadama Misomali and Emily Banda.

In response to Msaka on February 9 2012, Congoma executive director Ronald Mtonga wrote: “Kindly note that we are of the view that the 6 members indicated above will not perform their roles objectively since they are either actively involved in the activities of the ruling party, DPP, or close associates of DPP functionaries, or on the payroll of government or partisanly aligned themselves with government.”