Mejn warns councillors against interference

The Malawi Economic Justice Network (Mejn) has urged councillors to avoid interfering with technocrats in implementation of projects.

Speaking during training on Simplified Foundations and Principles of the Public Procurement Act at Chiradzulu Boma on Wednesday, Mejn programmes officer Mike Banda said the absence of councillors in the past 10 years created a gap in the way development projects were implemented at local authority level.

Banda said change cannot happen overnight; hence, the need for councillors to understand the current situation.

“Militant approach would only bring confusion and derail development in the process,” said Banda, adding that besides oversight roles councillors are negotiators, facilitators and communicators.

He warned councillors against interfering in the administrative work of the technocrats such as in procurement activities, saying doing so would be abuse of their oversight roles.

Ironically, councillors in Chiradzulu are demanding the removal of district commissioner James Manyetera, claiming the DC was taking too long to release funds for development projects.

Manyetera is currently on holiday pending investigations over the accusations levelled against him.