Nkhata Bay District Council dates concerned citizens

Nkhata Bay District Council has invited concerned citizens calling themselves ‘Voice of Nkhatabians’ to a dialogue session on the council’s alleged abuse of resources and poor service delivery.

A letter from Nkhata Bay district commissioner Peter Jimusole dated July 5 2022, says the meeting will provide a platform for the two parties to draw a roadmap on issues the group presented to the council on May 31 2022.

Reads the letter in part: “We are inviting your executive committee to a round table discussion with the council’s management. The meeting has been scheduled for  Tuesday, July 12 2022.

“Among others issues to be tabled at the meeting include providing guidance on how you are supposed to approach the council during a District Executive Committee meeting which is schedule for Thursday July 14 2022.”

Responding to the letter, the group’s secretary Godwin Njikho said they noted some irregularities in the letter and decided to seek clarification.

“Our plan was to close down the council’s offices as indicated in our petition of May 31 2022. However, we have decided to give dialogue a chance,” he said.

Njikho said they are only demanding accountability and transparency in the council’s service delivery system.

Nkhata Bay District Council spokesperson Patrick Botha acknowledged contents of the petition, but said some issues lacked direction.

He said: “The petition had some direct issues to do with the council such as Mwambazi Bridge project whose contractor was identified by the council but has not been implemented since 2018.

“It also contained issues that were misdirected to the council.”

In May, the group held demonstrations against the council’s alleged abuse of resources.