National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust Board of Trustees says it serves the interests of all Malawians and not political parties or individuals.
Nice Trust board vice-chairperson Orison Chaponda said this in Mangochi on Thursday during the official opening of the board’s orientation workshop.
He said: “We will strive to make the voiceless have a voice, but we will not serve as a mouthpiece of anyone.
“As individuals and as a board, we shall endeavour to ensure that the principles of impartiality and non-partisanship are upheld by everyone in the structure of Nice to sustain the good image and reputation that the organisation has enjoyed over time as a leading democratic governance institution.”
Chaponda added that Nice as a civic education organisation realises that it will be ineffective in its purpose and mission if it is partisan or support any political or elite interest, noting that this can erode its credibility in the eyes of the citizens and disable its ability to influence its target groups.
He stressed that the risks affecting the success and future of Nice would be its independence in relation to the executive arm of government and its machinery as well as its primary financial sponsors and how it would be perceived by ordinary citizens.
Chaponda further said the board will continue studying various options of legal, administrative, operational and financial independence that would be suitable for the organisation to ensure that its independence is entrenched in a positive manner.
“We will also pick it up from our predecessors how we can enhance independence. As a new board, we feel that these and other similar initiatives will assist in guiding Nice to reach an appropriate decision on how best its independence can be guaranteed in consultation with its stakeholders,” he said.
