Mass rally calls to remove Phalombe district commissioner irk MALGA
Malawi Local Government Association (MALGA) has condemned the “escalating tradition” among some political actors, of levelling allegations against officers of the local government authorities, especially district commissioners and chief executive officers.
MALGA—an umbrella body of all local government authorities in Malawi—has warned that the behaviour, if not checked, poses a threat to attracting and retaining the best talent in the local government sector.
The association’s sentiments follow remarks by some political actors on 16th July, 2023 in Phalombe District, calling for the removal of District Commissioner (DC) Douglas Moffat.
While addressing a political rally at Chinjika in Traditional Authority Mkhumba in the district, some speakers made allegations against Moffat and requested the political hierarchy present to have the DC removed.
Ken Zikhale Ng’oma, Minister of Homeland Security, promised the actors that he would take up the matter with the line minister for appropriate action.
However, in a strongly worded statement, MALGA says is “profoundly disturbed and shocked” by some sentiments made at the rally.
The association reminds political actors that accusing the DC at a rally when he has no such platform to respond, is a breach of rules of natural justice and tantamount to political persecution, calculated at instilling unnecessary fear in the DC and other local government officers.
“As an association founded and built on principles of credibility and accountability, MALGA is cognizant of the fact that citizens, being right holders, have a Constitutional right to seek accountability from duty bearers at any level of governance hierarchy and local government authorities are not an exception.
“However, it should be noted that government business in Malawi is governed by formalism where hierarchy and due regard to the process of the law has no substitution,” reads in part the statement, signed by MALGA President Councilor Davie Maunde and Executive Director Hadrod Zeru Mkandawire.
MALGA adds that the aforementioned, therefore, means that if any citizen feels aggrieved by the actions of any member of staff of a local government authority, including a DC or CEO, such a citizen is expected to follow the laid down procedures.
“MALGA would like to bring to the attention of the general public that every citizen who feels his or her grievances have not been adequately addressed by the aforementioned procedures, may elect his or her right to seek further redress from the Constitutional bodies namely; the Ombudsman Office, the Anti–Corruption Bureau and the Malawi Human Rights Commission depending on the nature of the grievance. The Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture is another formal way.
“The association would like to remind the members of the general public that neither the Local Government Service Act Chapter 22:04 nor the Local Government Act Chapter 22:01 of the Laws of Malawi, do mandate anyone to call for the removal and or transfer of any officer of a Local Government Authority at a political podium.
“We, therefore, condemn in the strongest terms the political tantrums expressed in Phalombe against District Commissioner Moffat on unfounded and baseless allegations”.
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