Karonga elects female Council chairperson: DC urges ward councillors to be ‘overseers and not doers’
Karonga District Council Commissioner Emmanuel Bulukutu has advised the 10 Ward Councillors who took oath of office and secrecy on Saturday at the Councils Chamber to be “overseers and not doers“ of projects implementation if the district is to register meaningful development.
Bulukutu offered this piece of advice during a full council elective meeting for the newly elected Ward Councillors and Members of Parliament (MPs) for the district, saying roles of Ward Councillors should not cross lines to assume some peoples roles and responsibilities.
“If we are to develop then we have to join hands regardless of our party colours. Today, it meansthat the Council is now complete. Let us start work immediately to develop and change Karonga by being accountable and transparent to the owners of development.
“And again, we have to know boundaries of our job description if we are to serve the community better,” Bulukutu said.
At the elective meeting, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Nyungwe Ward Councillor Ethel Mwanza, the only female Ward Councillor in the district was elected the districts Council chairperson, the first of its kind in the history of Karonga.
In her acceptance speech, Councillor Mwanza promised to work diligently and tirelessly with all stakeholders to take Karonga district to highest levels in terms of development.
”I am glad I have been elected to chair the district. Let us work as a team to uplift the face of Karonga. Political party colours should not divide our development agenda because at the end of the day we are all Malawians,” Mwanza said.
Councillor Mwanza emerged winner after beating Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Ward Councillor for Mlare Ward Belliam Msukwa by 10 votes to five.
Kaporo Ward UTM Party Councillor Ngasalayumo Mwangonde went unopposed on the post of Vice chairperson for the Council.
The meeting was patronized by traditional leaders and the five Members of Parliament for the lakeshore district of Karonga.
