Decentralisation for quick, efficient services—Malga

Recently, the Ministry of Finance provided a bailout package for local councils. What is the expectation that councils should find themselves in such financial constraints again? Is decentralisation really working and without a full line minister? How are councils affected? SUZGO CHITETE talked to Malawi Local Government Association (Malga) executive director Hadrod Mkandawire. Excerpts:

Q

Firstly, the government through the Ministry of Finance recently accepted to provide a bailout package for councils after your lobby, what’s the progress?

A

. As you are aware, in the last sitting of the National Assembly the Minister of Finance Felix Mlusu informed the nation that his Ministry will write all local governments (local councils) to submit information of the arrears for verification before the central government can clear out the arrears. Since then, there has been no action from the Ministry of Finance on same. We have trust in the minister as he has displayed unprecedented commitment towards fiscal decentralisation. We believe the bailout package is not another lip service from the Central Government. We have kept our fingers crossed since the financial year has just begun. Suffice to say the bailout package for local councils is an urgent matter and further delay is not an option.

Q

 The Central Government recently released the Local Authorities Performance Assessment (Lapa) for the 2019/2020 financial year and your members (local councils) did not perform well. You seemed quite unhappy with the outcome of the assessment. Isn’t it true that councils are underperforming?

A

 If you recall, in our reactionary statement to the latest Lapa results, we acknowledged the shortcomings of our members that indeed some of them are not performing well in some areas including service delivery and development outcomes. This is a fact and we cannot run away from it. However, we expected the central government to inform Malawians the underlying causes of such performance. Nonetheless, the central government did not inform Malawians of its shortcomings in respect to its obligations towards local governments which is interlinked to the performance of the local governments. What we need to appreciate is the fact that such results have a bearing on how the general public perceive the local governments and contribute to public image building of the local governments. If you noticed the tone of the Lapa results, it was meant to expose the local governments are perpetual failures and that’s what we protested. Local governments given all the necessary resources and conducive political environment, are star performers and a convenient and instant example can how Lilongwe City Council managed to change the face of the city during the Sadc Summit.

Q

 Talking about performance of councils, district hospitals run out of essential drugs now and again even when the Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST) claims to have enough. What is your role to ensure that councils tick on this important area?

A

. The drugs crisis in locally managed health units (district hospitals, rural hospitals, health centres, health posts and dispensaries) is an indicator of the pace of our decentralisation. The hallmark of decentralisation is to ensure that citizens get quick and better services and development through a government (local government) that is close to them. We therefore, call on the central government to give district councils a reasonable waiver to procure drugs from other suppliers rather than only CMST. We need to sit down and agree on the waiver percentage. Otherwise, the system that is meant to serve the people of Malawi is becoming the biggest bottleneck for universal health coverage. Remember, healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country needs for socio–economic prosperity. The central government should treat this drug supply challenge in district hospitals as a matter of urgency.

Q

.From your explanation it looks like decentralisation isn’t working properly, is that what I am getting from you?  

A

. Decentralization progress in Malawi is a mixed bag. We have moved at supersonic speed in devolving functions and responsibilities to the local governments. However, the central government is dragging its feet and moving at snail’s pace with fiscal devolution and political autonomy of the local governments. Key decisions for local development are still being made at Capital Hill. Finances are stuck at Capital Hill despite most if the public functions and responsibilities are devolved to the local governments. 

Q

. On another note, the Ministry of Local Government, which is a key player in the decentralisation process, has been without a full Cabinet minister for six months since the death of former minister Lington Belekanyama, does this affect anything?

A

. The Ministry of Local Government plays a critical role in policy guidance and coordination when it comes to decentralisation and local development.  It therefore, follows that presence of a full minister to provide that policy direction and guidance to the technocrats is very central to a properly functioning Ministry of Local Government. We, therefore, call upon the President Lazarus Chakwera to appoint a full Minister of Local Government without further delay because the Ministry of Local Government occupies a strategic place in turning around Malawi’s socio–economic development trajectory.