Phalombe District Council and civil society organisations (CSOs) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to improve service delivery in the district.
The MoU, which has taken eight years to develop, is expected to solve coordination challenges in development activities, among others, between the two sides.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, the council’s director of administration, Ronnex Kandiado, said they hope the agreement will bridge accountability gaps that existed between the two parties due to poor communication.
“Previously, there were no guidelines governing the checks and balances between the council and CSOs. As such, holding each other accountable was always a challenge.
“With the signing of this MoU, the two sides will talk to each other and find out how each side is handling its business,” he said.
Commenting on the issue, Phalombe CSO Coalition chairperson Louis Ng’oma said the MoU was designed to improve implementation of development projects in the district.
“People of Phalombe will be the primary beneficiaries of this agreement. The MoU will ensure that both the council and the CSOs are delivering best and quality services to the people,” Ng’oma said. n
