Chiefs want Lilongwe Mapuyu MP and Councillor to work together: Rivalrly derailing development

Some traditional leaders in Lilongwe  Mapuyu North constituency have expressed concern with the poor working relationship between the legislator for the constituency and the councillor for Nyanja Ward, a development which has been attributed to the retrogression of development in the area.

The revelations came light when the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) held an interface meeting at Mkoko Primary School on the roles of legislators and councillors in national development.

Senior Group Village Headman Sinumbe alleged that the legislator for Mapuyu North Horace Chipuwa sidelines the councillor for Nyanja Ward Francis Zulu but opts to work closely with the councillor for Mapuyu Ward.

However, the legislator Horace Chipuwa dismissed the allegations as untrue although he confirmed that the two had their differences during the run up to 2014 tripartite elections because the councillor was supporting a rival candidate.

“We know that our MP and the councillor had differences during the campaign period because the MP had his own candidate for the ward and at the same time the councillor was supporting another candidate who was vying for the constituency,” said GVH Sinumbe.

The traditional leader said if the trend continues no tangible development will be seen in the ward which lacks many basic amenities like portable water, health facilities and good schools among other things.

Another local leader Group Village Headman Mkoko concurred with his colleague and wondered if what the MP and councillor promised during the campaign period will materialize saying the few projects that are being implemented in the area are being forced upon the communities by the District Council and not what the people want.

GVH Mkoko also criticized Chipuwa for not siding with Zulu during the recent Area Development Committee (ADC) meeting when legislator for Mapuyu South Joseph Njobvuyalema was shouting at Zulu for blocking the projects that Njobvuyalema is said to have earmarked for his constituency.

Speaking in an interview wondered why he was not invited to attend the meeting which could have given him the opportunity to defend himself.

“What the chiefs are saying is not true. The only issue i am aware of is that during the run up to the last election Zulu was supporting a rival candidate who was an independent despite the fact that Zulu and me were both running on a Malawi Congress Party ticket,”said Chipuwa.

Chipuwa said his working relationship with Zulu was coordial after the primary elections and paid for their candidature fees to the Malawi Electoral Commission and was surprised that he (Zulu) was supporting a rival candidate.

“However, after I won the elections i invited all the councillor and mapped up our development agenda which we are trying to implement but Zulu is feeling uncomfortable with me because of what he did during the campaign period,” Chipuwa defended himself.

Zulu on his part, admitted the existence of differences with the MP  and asked various stakeholders to try and make amends for the sake of development.

“Both of us are members of MCP and I wish party leaders could come in and resolve our differences,” said Zulu.

NICE District Civic Education Officer Daniel Malango urged the leaders to bury their differences and concetrate on development.

“Time for campaign is long gone. This is the time for the MP and the councillors to work hand in hand to development their areas which are facing a lot of challenges,” said Malango.

In most communities there is a lot of bad blood between councillors and legislators with the latter seeing  the former as a potential threat to their positions.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!