Govt orders reconstitution of village and area development committees, citing mismanagement, corruption
The tenure of current Village Development Committees (VDCs) and Area Development Committees (ADCs) faces an abrupt end following a directive issued by the Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture, ordering district councils to reconstitute all the committees with immediate effect, citing, among other ills, mismanagement, corruption and favouritism.
The VDCs and ADCs, constituted in 2019 following general elections, were supposed to be reconstituted in 2024, according to the Guidebook on the Local Government System in Malawi.
But Malawi Local Government Association (MALGA)—an umbrella body of all local government authorities—says district councils “could not be waiting for a directive from the Central Government to conduct such an exercise”.
The directive, dated 27th August, 2023, is addressed to all district commissioners and signed by James Chiusiwa, Secretary for Local Government, Unity and Culture.
It reads in part: “The directive is made due to rampart complaints and queries the ministry has been receiving from across the country on the conduct of members of some VDCs and ADCs. The complaints are on gross mismanagement of their functions and responsibilities and elements of corruption.
“There have been complaints, for example, regarding favouritism in the selection of beneficiaries of different government programmes. In order to address these challenges, the ministry has decided to reconstitute the committees.
“I would, therefore, like to advise all district commissioners and chiefs that those to be selected as members of VDCs and ADCs should be people of integrity who are willing to serve Malawians without favouritism based on one’s tribe, relationship, religion, regional background or political affiliation, among others”.
But MALGA Executive Director, Hadrod Zeru Mkandawire, while welcoming the directive, urged the Central Government to fully devolve political powers to local authorities, saying district councils “could not be waiting for a directive to conduct such an exercise”
Mkandawire added the allegations raised against the VDCs and ADCs are serious, unfortunate, regrettable and run counter to the whole essence of decentralization.
“As far as the directive is based on the strength of the allegations raised, the ministry has taken the right direction. But local authorities should be in a position on their own to take such kind of decisions.
“They should not be waiting for the ministry to issue directives. It does not sit well with the essence of decentralization,” he said.
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