From the look of things, it seems it never rains but it pours for newly assigned Machinga district commissioner (DC) Rodney Simwaka who barely two weeks of his transfer from Chitipa, is caught up in another restraining court order.
Incumbent Machinga DC Reinghard Chavula has obtained an injunction stopping Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MoLGRD) from transferring and demoting her.
Chavula’s move has put Simwaka in a position similar to the one he faced in Chitipa two months ago when acting DC Grace Chirwa refused to move to Rumphi to pave the way for him.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, MoLGRD spokesperson Muhlabase Mughogho confirmed that Chavula has taken the court order against the ministry’s decision “to revert her to her previous position of human resource management officer in Blantyre.”
At the moment, according to Mughogho, there is nothing the ministry can do other than allow Chavula to continue serving as Machinga DC as its hands are tied.
In an interview yesterday, Chavula said she obtained the court injunction pending a court decision on whether the current decision by the ministry is right considering that she was properly appointed to the position of DC by the same ministry.
She said: “I think this circus will not end; hence, I decided to obtain the injunction.”
Simwaka, speaking in an interview, said the episodes that have been happening to him are unfortunate and frustrating, especially for a person who has just returned from further studies.
He said he was only in office as Machinga DC for a week before the injunction was obtained. He said he is now in Nsanje where his official residence and family are.
Commenting on the development, Lewis Dzimbiri, a Chancellor College professor of public administration specialising in human resource development and industrial relations, said what is coming out from the developments is that there are certain things that are not done following certain processes and procedures.
He said the civil service regulation provides proper guidelines on the way people should be transferred and demoted, but demoting an individual who has not done any misconduct was an error in the government system for it gave room to victimisation.
In Chitipa, Simwaka, who lodged at Chitipa Inn waiting for the matter to be settled, had to live for two months in uncertainty after Chirwa obtained her injunction.
