Local authorities annual awards contributing to councils motivation
Malawi Local Government Association (MALGA)—an umbrella body of all local government authorities—has said its local authorities annual awards are contributing to motivation of local councils facing a myriad challenges, including inadequate funding compounded by dismal fiscal devolution and devolvement of powers from the central government.
MALGA Executive Director, Hadrod Zeru Mkandawire, made the sentiments Friday night in Salima, during the association’s 3rd local authorities annual awards gala dinner, mainly sponsored by First Capital Bank and Innobuild Limited.
Held immediately after a two-day 5th MALGA Managers Network annual conference—a forum for district commissioners and chief executive officers—the colourful gala dinner, Presided over by Local Government Minister Richard Chimwendo Banda, saw some councils and individuals walking away with trophies and cash and material prizes in various categories, including finance, service delivery and planning and development.
Mkandawire reiterated that the awards—MALGA introduced in 2022 with the guidance of the Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture—aim to motivate council actors, at institutional and individual levels, to perform better.
“It is about incentivizing our members. We want to build on the awards to ensure that it is one of the factors contributing to motivating the councils to do better,” he said, highlighting that Friday night’s awards were for the year 2023.
Among others, Lilongwe District Council dominated, emerging as best financial performance council, best local revenue generating district council and most committed member.
Blantyre City Council also dominated, scooping three awards: best local revenue generating city council, best subscription city council and Minister’s award for the cleanest council.
Nkhata Bay District Council won the best performing council in education, which it won again in 2022.
Most innovative council went to Chitipa District Council, Nkhotakota scooped the most committed council towards Malawi 2063, most improved subscribing council went to Rumphi District Council, Mchinji District Council emerged the most improved council on LAPA.
Minister Chimwendo Banda concurred with Mkandawire, adding that the awards “are helping improve service delivery in councils”.
Moving forward, Mkandawire said the minister’s compliments have raised the status and importance of the awards, which motivates MALGA to do more.
“This encourages and incentivizes us to strengthen the momentum and increase categories and awards in the coming years,” he said.
Moses Jere, Nkhata Bay District Council Principal Administration Officer, expressed his happiness that the council again won the best performing council in education, attributing it to dedicated teachers and hard-working learners.
“We will maintain these standards. It is all about concerted efforts, everyone doing their part in advancing education excellence,” he said.
There were also individual awards, including, among others: long-time committed service award in the local government sector—Fred Movete and Stuart Gwedemula.
Former Blantyre City Mayor, Wild Ndipo, emerged as Mayor of the year, District Council Chairperson of the year went to Councilor Mayamiko Kambewa from Dowa, Gomezgani Nyasulu from Mzuzu City is Chief Executive Officer of the year, District Commissioner of the year is Ben Tohno from NkhNkhotakota.
Madison Holdings Limited also contributed to sponsoring the event, among other partners.
The awards presentation, initially slated for June, 2024, was postponed due to the mourning period following the death of former State Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and eight other Malawians.
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