Govt not dormant in the ongoing differences between Local Councillors, MPs

Govt not dormant in the ongoing differences between Local Councillors, MPs

Government says efforts are being done to facilitate effective integration of Councillors in their respective Councils in order to end the ongoing wrangle between them and Members of Parliament (MPs) regarding their roles and responsibilities.

Honorable Tarsizio Gowelo Minister of Local Government and Rural Development made the remarks at a media conference in Lilongwe on Monday, on how the Ministry is progressing on the ushering in of newly elected Councillors into office in all councils to ensure that they are providing better service in their communities.

The Minister acknowledged that there are ongoing misunderstanding between MPs and Councillors surrounding their roles saying the development has been exacerbated by the fact that Councils operated without Councillors in the past 9 years.

He said currently his Ministry together with its cooperating partners among them Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN), National Democratic Institute (NDI), have been training Councillors in all the regions across the country.

And in order to assist Councillors discharge their responsibilities effectively, clarify roles of the various members of the Council and foster harmony in their relationship with other stakeholders, the Ministry has developed number of documents including a Guidebook on Local Government System in Malawi; A Guide for Conducting Local Authority Business in Malawi; and a Handbook for Councillors and other Council Members in Malawi.

“From 24 to 30 June, 2014 my Ministry together with our cooperating partners organized concurrent  regional orientation sessions that were carried in all the regions of the country. These orientation sessions were aimed at enlightening Councillors about their roles and responsibilities in the Councils as they had just been ushered in into the Councils”He said

Gowelo also said he made some follow ups to these trainings, by hold meetings with Councillors across the country where himself and senior officers from his Ministry had an opportunity to interact and share a “few principles on how to generate a legacy” in the Councils which is associated with quality service delivery and accelerated socio-economic development.

He indicated that with support from UNDP the remaining members of the Councils including, elected Councillors, MPs, Chiefs and Council Secretariat will be oriented within December this year.

He said very soon the Ministry will enter into a partnership with the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Trust to embark on massive public education in the local government system as a whole, so that people understands roles of various members of the Councils, channel their demands to the right duty bearers and hold them service delivery accountability.

But on Conditions of Service for Coucillors, the minister mentioned that during these meetings, Councillors were taken through their Conditions of Service as approved by Government after thorough consultations within Government and with key stakeholders in decentralisation and Integrated Rural Development.

The Minister said it was made clear to the Councillors that their Conditions of Service are meant to facilitate their operations, and that these Conditions of Service were not meant for full time employment. “After all, the work of Councillors is voluntary” he said. 

But Hon. Gowelo was quick to note that since most of the Councils still need some assistance from the central Government, therefore support will continue to be given to Councils until such a time they are able to stand on their own as it should be.

He said issues of transport for Mayors and Deputy Mayors in Cities and Municipal Councils his Ministry “would try to see how best it could assist.” But he also said his Ministry will initiate consultations within Government and with Cooperating Partners to chart the way forward on proposals made by Councillors most of which bordered on policy, including some improvements in their Conditions of Service, the loan sum and administration of Motorcycle loans.

According to the Minister with support from MEJN, the Ministry has trained Councillors in 20 districts whilst Councillors from 3 Councils have been trained with support from NDI.  He said the ongoing trainings are covering specific areas such as Financial Management, Procurement, Auditing, Planning and Development, Project Management and Ethics in Local Governance.