MPs, councillors ‘feuds’ derailing projects—NGO

Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM) says a poor working relationship between councillors and members of Parliament (MPs) has negatively affected development projects in some areas of the Central Region.

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting on Friday at Mpingu Primary School in Lilongwe, EAM advocacy officer Alice Chiweza said there is perceived rivalry between councillors and MPs instead of complementing each other.

“In the four districts where we have been operating there is real bad blood and perceived competition between MPs and councillors to the extent that development projects have suffered.

“If we are to progress as a nation, this problem has to be addressed as the country approaches the 2019 Tripartite Elections,” she said.

Chiweza said EAM has been previously brought MPs and councillors together in all the four districts to resolve emerging issues.

Councillors Nkangadzeni Jussa and Halima Isati of Mtunthumala and Chiwenga wards in Lilongwe South West Constituency respectively, observed that a working relationship with their MP has not been healthy.

“We work in isolation. I have been sidelined in the Constituency Development Fund implementation as a councillor. There is a lot of mistrust between us and MPs,” said Jussa.

In his remarks, Ntcheu Bwanje legislator Goodwin Kanjere (Democratic Progressive Party-DPP) said it is difficult to work with a councillor who is aspiring to be an MP.

EAM is implementing a Citizen Participation project in the Central Region which seeks to enhance transparency, accountability and responsiveness of duty bears in relation to the district development planning and execution process.

The project is being implemented in Mchinji, Lilongwe, Ntcheu and Dedza.