Malawi Govt redeploys ostracized PS Ligomeka
Malawi government has finally bowed down to mounting pressure from District Commissioners (DCs) including council staff and has finally redeployed Stuart Ligomeka, former Principal Secretary, in the Ministry of Local Government to the Ministry of Lands.
The Office of the President and Cabinet relayed this message to Ligomeka before end of business on Friday, 8th March, 2013.
Ligomeka has been at the centre of controversy in the ministry as the most hated person due to his cruelty plus his divide and rule managerial tactics.
The PS joined the Civil Service as a secondary school teacher before moving to the UNDP supported 5th Country Programme as a District Training Coordinator.
He rose through a personal relationship and favours from the Chief secretary to the Government, Bright Msaka.
Information from the Lilongwe City Council indicates that Ligomeka personally persuaded the then Chief Executive, Kelvin M’mangisa to release some unspecified quantities of tar to Msaka’s personal
property in Area 43. He even supervised the project himself.
When his house in Area 47 caught fire, Msaka released his personal flat in Area 11 where Ligomeka sought refuge.
Ligomeka has always been accused by DCs as the man who handled the Ministry with an iron
fist suppressing those he considered a threat to his survival while on the other hand glorifying his “Good boys”.
In a petition of 17th July, signed by 16 District Commissioners to the Malawi President Joyce Banda, he was accused of suffocating the Local Governments Service Commission and employed people at his will, such as the appointment of Financial Analysists, one of whom being his direct
relative.
He has also been accused of hijacking a State House function where DCs where supposed to present state of affairs in councils. At the function he paraded Charles Kalemba, CEO, for Zomba City, apparently his stooge to paint a rosy picture of the capsizing Ministry.
Ligomeka was also accused of frustrating the implementation of a 2005 Functional Review which would have seen staff capacities in councils improved.
He has been with the Ministry since the year 2004 and had been wielding too much power thereby forcing Principal Secretaries leaving the ministry in frustration.
A Commission of Enquiry chaired by the beleaguered Secretary for Education MacPhil Magwira, highly praised Ligomeka, which was contrary to information DCs and Council staff provided to Magwira and his team.
Recently, during the burial ceremony of Chief Chapananga of Chikhwawa, Traditional Authority Maseya bemoaned the oppressive behaviour of some PSs in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
It was later discovered that the traditional Authority was actually referring to Ligomeka himself who was also present at this funeral.
Meanwhile, most DCs interviewed by Nyasa Times, expressed gratitude that now the enemy was out of Local Government service. They further thanked the President for addressing issues in their petition in full.
“The President can now be assured of our undoubted effective and efficient service delivery in our respective councils,” said one DC.
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