MALGA condemns councilor, police, Senior Chief Mlomba over commotion at Machinga District council meeting

Malawi Local Government Association (MALGA) has described as “unfortunate” a recent incident at Machinga District Council ordinary council meeting, which led police to arresting Councillor Alexander Cosmas Nkhoma.

During the meeting, held on 13th July, 2023, Nkhoma threatened Senior Chief Mlomba to exit the council’s chamber, alleging that the Senior Chief was siding with one of the candidates for the position of council chairperson.

Law enforcers were called in and restored order by arresting Nkhoma.

Zeroing in on the incident, MALGA—an umbrella body of all local government authorities in Malawi—has said “it learnt about the incident with profound regret and shock”.

The association, in a strongly worded statement, has condemned Nkhoma for his “regrettable and deplorable” behaviour and the police for their “excessive force” when arresting the councilor.

MALGA has also advised chiefs in the country to “desist from divisive conducts” during councils business.

The statement, signed by MALGA President Councilor Davie Maunde and Executive Director Hadrod Zeru Mkandawire, says Councilor Nkhoma “grossly breached and undermined” both the conventional code of conduct expected of a public figure of his calibre and guidelines for conducting councils business.

“It is regrettable that this behaviour continues to happen in some councils despite considerable resources invested by different stakeholders to enhance the capacity of council members, to strategically position them to effectively, meaningfully and lawfully discharge their Constitutional and legislative mandate.

“We, therefore, condemn unreservedly and in strongest terms, the conduct of Councilor Nkhoma. We urge all council members to follow to the letter the guidelines of conducting council business and desist from any temptations that would bring their positions and the whole local government and decentralization sector into disrepute and shame in their personal and official conduct”.

According to the statement, MALGA “appreciates and values the coveted and important space” that traditional leaders such as Senior Chief Mlomba  occupy in Malawi, including in the local government sector.

“However, we are disturbed that rather than playing a neutral and uniting role during a politically tense moment as was the case on the material day, it is alleged that Senior Chief Mlomba openly started supporting one of the candidates for the position of council chairperson, which, in our considered view, aggravated the situation.

“We, therefore, urge the traditional leaders sitting in the local government authorities as ex–officio members, not to be overtaken by excitement and emotions during council business.

“As fountains of wisdom, culture and symbols of unity in society, it is our wide expectation that our traditional leaders will rise above narrow interests and guard against any temptations to dilute their coveted status”.

While commending the police for moving in quickly to restore order, MALGA says it is dismayed by the “unnecessary and excessive force” employed by the law enforcers in effecting the arrest of Nkhoma.

“The councilor was, at the material time, not armed and or posing any immediate threat to the police and or any other person proportional to the force used.

“We, therefore, condemn in the strongest terms the manner in which the police effected the arrest of Councilor Nkhoma and the embarrassing and degrading treatment occasioned on him by the law enforcers.

“We strongly urge Councilor Nkhoma to elect his right to lodge a complaint with the Independent Police Complaints Commission for the appropriate remedies.