Women’s Legal Resource Centre (Wolrec) capacity building trainer Davie Chikoti says good communication between councillors and the secretariat is important for decentralisation to succeed in the country.
Chikoti said this on Wednesday at Zomba City Council (ZCC) chambers during a two-day local government capacity building workshop, aimed at drilling councillors and the secretariat on how to complement each other’s efforts to fulfil the city’s aspirations.
The training covered the local government system in Malawi, urban development system, budgeting and financial management in local authorities as well as integrity in conducting council business.
Chikoti said government established local government authorities to foster decentralisation ,in districts and cities, hence, decentralisation will be ineffective if councillors and the council’s secretariat work in isolation.
Said Chikoti: “We are optimistic that weak local level development structures that existed in the council due to capacity gaps will be filled and give birth to a vibrant council aware of its roles and manage its development resources prudently.”
Mpira Ward councillor Christopher Jana said the workshop helped the participants recognise their functions, relationships and restrictions, to enable them critique different issues that affect the city’s operations. He further appealed to capacity building stakeholders to include parliamentarians as they are also crucial players in the development of the country.
