Differences between councillors and some council secretariats over the procurement of contractors for the Reformed K5 billion Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects pose a new threat to the programme’s implementation.
The bone of contention is that some councillors feel sidelined in the procurement processes with some of them claiming that they were only informed after contractors were identified and projects were ready for handover.
Malawi Local Government Association (Malga) president Isaac Jomo Osman said the situation is raising questions over the transparency of CDF procurement, par ticularly the selection of contractors.
In his address during the Council Chairpersons and District Commissioners Symposium and the sixth Malawi Local Government Association Managers Network (Magnet) annual conference in Salima, the Blantyre City mayor said that in some cases councillors only became aware that a bid-opening ceremony had taken place.
Osman also alleged that local contractors were being overlooked despite CDF guidelines requiring councils to consider capable contractors from the respective areas before sourcing elsewhere.
He said: “The guidelines are clear that if contractors from that area have the capacity, they need to be considered first before engaging others.
“But the secretariat is just mixing up issues without our knowledge and they do the bid opening without the presence of councillors.”
Osman said the situation at Blantyre City Council has deteriorated to the extent that councillors demanded suspension of the contract-awarding process until their differences with the secretariat were resolved.
Chipping in, Dedza District Council chairperson Joseph Kwenda said several councils were facing similar problems, alleging that procurement processes are conducted without the involvement of councillors.
He also questioned the amounts involved in some contracts.
But Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Principal Secretary Moses Chimphepo urged councillors against suspending procurement processes, saying doing so will further complicate implementation.
He said councillors and secretariats should resolve their differences and work together.
Chimphepo also clarified that the preference for local contractors does not override procurement requirements, saying the contractors must have the capacity and be registered and eligible for the category of work being advertised.
He said projects valued above K300 million are subject to national competitive bidding while those worth K300 million or less are procured through requests for quotations.
“For national competitive bidding, every contractor that wants to participate has to apply. It doesn’t matter whether you are local or not. If the local contractor has not
responded to the advert, he will not participate,” said Chimphepo.
He asked councillors to encourage local contractors to monitor procurement advertisements published in newspapers and on the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA) website.
But Osman maintained that the procurement system did not adequately favour capable local contractors and questioned how councils could distinguish local contractors from others when procurement processes were open to all eligible bidders.
In response, Chimphepo said council secretariats were better placed to explain how local contractors were identified and considered within the procurement framework.
Mw a n z a D i s t r i c t Council chairperson Kaisi Chimbalanga said his council worked closely with the secretariat to promote local participation in CDF projects.
Similar sentiments were shared by Lilongwe District Council chairperson Sekelani Kansikili who said his council worked in close coordination with its secretariat..
Mangochi district commissioner Rodney Simwaka said his council also informed local contractors about CDF projects and encouraged them to participate.
However, he said some local contractors failed during evaluation after submitting fraudulent documentation.
Meanwhile, National Advocacy Platform chairperson Benedi c to Kondowe said the disputes point to the need for clearer understanding of the respective roles of councillors and council management.
The CDF guidelines set out the responsibilities of the various structures involved in implementation.
Under the guidelines, members of Parliament (CDF) work with communities in their constituencies to identify needs and participate in area development committees (ADCs) or urban development committees as well as constituency development
committees (CDCs) where projects are consolidated and prioritised.
MPs also countersign constituency development plans submitted to local authorities, receive monthly reports and returns, and undertake project supervision, monitoring and evaluation as part of their oversight role.
On the other hand, ward councillors work with village development committees to identify community needs and serve on ADCs, CDCs and councils. They are also responsible for monitoring and evaluating CDF projects in their wards.
Local authorities are responsible for financial accountability, procurement, record keeping, disbursement and reporting in accordance with laws governing public funds.
Under the guidelines , communities are responsible for identifying projects, monitoring implementation and reporting suspected fraud, theft or abuse of project funds and materials to relevant authorities.
The Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation is responsible for budgetary allocations and disbursement of CDF resources, while the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development provides policy direction, monitoring and evaluation, and ensures adherence to the guidelines
