Malawi govt chokes NICE civic education activities

Government is to yet appoint a new board for the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Public Trust, raising fears that this will affect civic and voter education activities ahead of the 2019 tripartite elections.

With  days before Malawians cast their ballots on May 201, stakeholders have since accused the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led administration that it is systematically keeping NICE Trust out of the fore to ensure voters do not receive enlightenment on governance and issue-based campaign.

Mzuzu-based journalist and social commentator, Jackson Caesar Msiska, feels government is deliberately frustrating NICE efforts to level the political battlefield ahead of the polls.

“Since 1999, NICE Trust has played a leading role in providing civic and voter education (CVE) and in entrenching the culture of good governance and democracy through the civic education activities it conducts.

“I believe the DPP-led government is wary that enhanced civic education could increase the level of awareness among Malawians on the need to vote based on issues instead of region, tribe and ethnicity,” said Msiska.

A source at NICE Trust confirmed that they cannot go full throttle in providing the services because there is no board in place to authorise expenditure and other management decisions.

“And that is why we have been dormant all this time. The term of the previous board expired mid last year and, since then, we have been operating without the board. We have been pressing government to appoint a new board, but to no avail. We cannot spend without the board,” said the source who sought strict anonymity.

NICE Trust media and public relations officer, Grace Hara, confirmed that the body has been operating without the board.

But Hara refused to comment on the reasons behind government’s failure to appoint a new board could be politically-motivated.

“I don’t think so! I would like to believe that they (government) are still considering who to choose among the nominated individuals,” she said.

The Minister of Civic Education, Culture and Community Development, Everton Chimulirenji, whose ministry is responsible for the appointment of NICE board, said government would soon appoint the new board.

However, Chimulirenji could not commit himself on the actual date the board will be appointed to enable NICE Trust get on the road with CVE activities.

But Umodzi Party (UP) president Professor John Chisi feared it is too late for government to appoint the new board.

“I don’t think any CVC activity NICE Trust can take now will be effective. It’s too late and this only shows that we are a nation without morals,” Chisi.

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