Catholic Relief Services say chiefs refuse to attend meetings without ‘kangachepe’: Per diem
A Catholic organization has bemoaned that chiefs in some districts are refusing to attend development meetings for their respective areas unless they are given allowances.
Catholic Relief Services director Sydney Khando said this after traditional leaders refused to turn up for a meeting in Mchinji aimed at discussing how people can avoid post harvest losses.
The meeting was organized in conjunction with the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) but traditional leaders were not on the list of those to receive allowances as they come from the same area. “
“We from the NGOs have instilled these behaviour to traditional leaders. We offer the chiefs money so that they should attend the meetings large numbers but this done not help. They go there for the money after the meeting they forget everything,” said Khando.
He said some NGOs even give out handouts to villagers in order to lure them attend meetings.
Khando said it was sad that most traditional leaders shunned the meeting which was aimed at telling them how to battle weevils without buying expensive chemicals.
“The meeting was to help them yet they want money this culture of allowances and handouts is really bad,” he said.
He did not however commit himself to say they would return and convince the traditional leaders to attend the important meeting for food security.
However, from the tone of his voice, he has given up on them.
Leave them. It is their people who will suffer. Abolish allowances in Malawi. It should be illegal. The Gov or organization should arrange all transportation, food and lodge ahead of the meeting/conference to the location.
Nanga Mafumuwo Akaitanitsa Msonkhano Wa Anthu Ammudzi Mwao Amawapatsa Ma Allowance?
Please Our Chiefs Change Your Mindset.
zaonekeratu kuti anthu ena ndozikonda inu ma allowance chifukwa chambwerera zanu kwa mafumu iwo omvera mbwerera asadyepo taziganizani bwinibwino athuni
The habit of giving out monies for such important meetings was institutionalized during the early days of multiparty politics in Malawi and this has encouraged corruption and dissolved the spirit of patriotism. It will take a mountain to restore people to the original thinking and patriotism. This can happen in a competitive political environment of federalism as one region which people know very well will excel prompting the other regions to emulate the example
If members of the NGOs go to an area, hold a meeting with the people, and after that, share allowances amongst themselves leaving the people with nothing……… that is not amusing…….
Allowance culture. If trained journalists fail to cover even a newsworthy event because there are no allowances; what do you expect the uneducated chiefs to do?
Inu nde muzidya nokha , amzanu ayi . Nonsense.