Leaders not engaging masses on Wash problems
WaterAid-funded Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi (Wesm) Dwangwa Branch says failure by leaders and policy makers to interface with masses is still hindering progress on the fight against water, sanitation and hygiene (Wash) problems in communities.
In an interview on Monday, Wesm Dwangwa Branch manager Ockens Chipeta said poor participation of duty-bearers, including district council officials and members of Parliament, in grass roots meetings is one of the challenges they are facing to address limited access to water and sanitation facilities in villages.
“We have a Citizen Action Initiative project which aims at supporting citizens to know their rights and empower them to demand development. There has been persistent low turn up by high and key profile officers in interface meetings with masses.
“Mostly, junior staff are delegated and this attitude dilutes the seriousness of the meetings and decreases high expectations of the communities on solutions to their problems,” said Chipeta.
He, however, said they have since empowered chiefs and various community structures to follow up on development projects directly with all duty-bearers.
“We have integrated the citizen action initiative in all our activities. We have been working in this district since 2001. We decided to embark on sanitation projects with support from WaterAid around 2003 because we were concerned with increasing diarrhoea cases along the lakeshore,” said Chipeta.
Village head Hara said he is one of the people who are now frequently chasing Nkhotakota District Council officials, demanding projects on water, sanitation, construction of classroom blocks and other areas.
