Govt transfers 7 DCs

Sevendistrict commissioners (DCs) have been transferred in a recent reshuffle in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development amid concerns about frequent transfers of district council chief executives.

In a letter dated November 24 this year copied to the affected DCs, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Principal Secretary Stuart Ligomeka said the changes are with immediate effect.

Reads the memo: “I shall be grateful if the posting could be implemented as soon as possible. District councils are required to enforce this posting instruction. Failure to do so will be deemed to be an act of misconduct.”

In the changes, Neno DC Memory Kaleso has swapped posts with Chiradzulu DC Ali Phiri whereas Karonga DC Rosemary Moyo has been moved to Mchinji to replace Richard Hara who is heading to Karonga.

Further, Mulanje DC Fred Movete has been transferred to Chikwawa District Council to replace Bester Mandere who has been moved to Machinga where he takes over from Reinghard Chavula who is heading to Mulanje as DC.

Stakeholders are on record as having faulted the frequent transfers of DCs with the Kalondolondo Programme, which monitors accountability in councils, arguing that the transfers derail development as DCs have no time to effectively guide project implementation.

In 2014, then Lilongwe DC Charles Kalemba wrote the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) to complain about the frequent transfers.

Kalemba, who had served Lilongwe District Council twice before his other transfer, argued that the frequent movements affected project implementation.

There have been cases where some DCs have been transferred more than twice in 12 months.

In November 2014, OPC Principal Secretary (Administration) Clement Chinthu Phiri conceded in an interview with The Nation that the frequent transfers affect stability of leadership at district council level.

But Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Kondwani Nankhumwa, in an interview yesterday, said the changes will enhance productivity as different DCs have different capabilities and skill.

He said: “We have been trying to do these reshuffles, and this is part of the normal process in government. There are times when we know that a certain DC can do better in a certain area and so we move them to that area for effective service delivery.”n