Malawi leader promotes District Commissioners
President Joyce Banda has finally promoted 21 District Commissioners (DCs) to a Civil Service Grade of E/S3 equivalent to that of a Senior Deputy Secretary.
This development comes after seven years of waiting since the approval of a functional review in the year 2005, which pegged the position of a DC to that grade.
The promotion is conveyed in a letter dated 12th December, 2012, signed by Kester E Kaphaizi, Secretetary for Local Government and Rural Development.
The letter states that the promotions are in line with Section 11 (2) of the Local Government Act, as read with the Local Service Act.
Nyasa Times source at Capital Hill revealed that most of the promoted DCs have collected their promotion letters.
Some DCs who spoke on condition of anonymity indicated that they were impressed with the Presidents motherly and listening altitude.
“We have observed over time that the President has in many instances provided solutions when people have lost confidence in the rusty administrative machinery,” lamented one exited DC.
In July, 2012, Sixteen DCs issued a petition to the President which highlighted gross irregularities at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development which included issues bordering on nepotism and favouritism, the recruitment of Financial Analysts at grade P5 without following laid down procedures, selective promotions, solicitation of favours from council officers, arbitrary posting instructions and victimisation, and, crippling of the Local Authority Service Commission among others.
The DCs view the promotion as a victory over a protracted battle against two Senior Officers namely Stuart Ligomeka (PS2), and Kiswell Dakamau (Director of Local Government Services) who were bent at nothing but frustrating them. They said they were full of joy after noting that the President had urgently addressed two out of the three requests highlighted in the petition.
“Some four months ago, the President reconstituted the Local Authorities Service Commission, whose absence resulted in serious abuses. Today we are all smiles after deservingly being promoted to the grade commensurate with our workload, and the promotions have spilled over to even those colleagues of ours who did not believe in our cause.
However, some DCs were quick to state that the battle was not over yet. They said they were still not happy with the continued presence of Stuart Ligomeka and Kiswell Dakamau who they said were still lingering around the Ministry.
They were of the view that they couldn’t work well with the two officers whom they believe have an oppressive altitude. They said they would still plead with the Office of the President and Cabinet to honourably consider redeploying them to other ministries or departments.
The promoted DC include; Atanazio Chibwana of Phalombe; Bester Mandere of Rumphi; Felix Mkandawire of Chikhwawa; Fred Movete of Nkhata Bay; Gift Abraham Rapozo of Luchenza; Harry Phiri of Zomba District; Hamisi Kassim Twabi of Ntcheu; Harrison Lende of Kasungu; Jack Kafoteka
Ngulube of Mulanje; James Kanyangalazi of Machinga; Moses Chimphepo of Mzimba; Paul Kalilombe of Lilongwe;
Rodney Simwaka of Nsanje; Stuart Ngoka of Dowa; Charles Makanga of Blantyre; Charles Kalemba of Zomba City; Andrew Misomali of Mangochi Town; Richard Hara of Mzuzu City; Charles Thombozi of Nkhota Kota; Alli Phiri of Salima; and Lusizi Nhlane formerly of Salima but currently studying in the South Africa.
Notably missing on the list are Thomas Chirwa of Mangochi, Benert Nkasala of Chiradzulu, Alex Mdooko of Ntchisi, Emanuel Bambe of Karonga, and James Manyetera, formerly of Dowa.
Nyasa Times source reported that Manyetera is currently on interdiction and awaiting the conclusion of this matter in court, whereas the other four were promoted under mysterious circumstances by Stuart Ligomeka. The remaining lot of DCs are yet to be considered since they occupy the positions in an acting capacities.
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