M’mbelwa against Mzimba divided into three districts
Paramount Chief M’mbelwa the V of Mzimba has quashed a request made by Councilors to divide the district into four other districts, saying the issue requires more consultation as the district does not belong to chiefs and councilors alone.
The call to divide Mzimba came as a hot cake on the agenda of a two-day full council meeting which ended Thursday.
Responding to the call, M’mbelwa, looking unmoved and composed, said the issue to divide Mzimba district needs a lot of consultations as the district does not belong to chiefs and councilors alone.
The Mzimba Ngoni Chief wondered if the councilors consult other people in the district on matters of the district, saying there is also another proposal for a federal system of government being pursued by individuals from the same district.
He urged the councilors to follow the right procedures and proper channel in the presentation of their concerns.
“I am caught in between. This issue of dividing Mzimba started way back. However, the issue needs to be discussed with sober minds by leaving emotions aside.
“We as chiefs have welcomed your request but we feel you have skipped some important procedures which you need to follow. The issue of dividing Mzimba needs to be discussed at length by consulting all the necessary stakeholders because it is not only councilors and chiefs who make up Mzimba,” said M’mbelwa.
He advised the ward councilors to go back to the drawing board and not play with people’s lives as it will come to haunt them some day.
Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa said development is not all about money, but it has to be defined from all other necessary angles.
Moving the motion, Councilor for Kasito East Ward, Fumu Mdolo, said dividing the district would accelerate development in many parts of the district which have remained underdeveloped over time immemorial.
Councilor Mdolo said it is sad to note that all other regions in Malawi have progressed in development but Northern Region has remained stagnant, saying one of the reasons could be the vastness of land under one district.
“The idea to split Mzimba is not intended at undermining the authority of our chiefs but we feel that it will increase allocation of resources as each district will have its own recurrent budget allocation as well as development budget allocation.
“A case worth noting is where resources meant for Mzuzu first passes through M’mbelwa District Council and by the time they reach Mzuzu they are already used up, leading to crippled government service delivery,” said Mdolo.
He further observed that once the district is split it will lead to efficiency in the delivery of services and promote transparency and accountability.
Member of Parliament for Mzimba South, Makwenda Chunga, raised the tempers of some ward councilors when he stood up and accused them of pocketing money from some organizations [which he did not name] to advance the issue to divide the district.
He further blamed the ward councilors for being in a rush and without really consulting the chiefs’ council.
However, Member of Parliament for Mzimba Hora, Christopher Mzomera Ngwira brought the chamber to silence when he asked the members to critically look at the facts Councilor Mdolo had presented.
He said it is not time to start looking at who is who when dealing with the issue as all ideas expressed are aimed at developing Mzimba.
“I support the facts these councilors are presenting, but let us look at the real facts behind this issue.
He also proposed to the council chamber “to leave the issue to our Paramount Chief to take a stand and discuss with the government to look at better ways of developing Mzimba or else we should revert to our Kingdom.”
The Chairperson for M’mbelwa District Council, Dan Nkosi, adjourned the meeting until further notice.
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