Ministry rebuffs Karonga Council

Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has refused to come to the rescue of Karonga District Council which is in dire need of office space after protesters set ablaze the council’s offices twice.

Following the burning its offices, the council’s secretariat has been forced to operate from a rest house after failing to identify a proper place.

According to Karonga district commissioner Paul Kalilombe, the council needs over K500 million to renovate and furnish the damaged structures.

He said the council does not have capacity to raise such an amount and is relying on the ministry.

Said Kalilombe: “The money needed is a lot and we cannot manage. We are waiting for the ministry to help us. After the first office was damaged, we sent a report on how much we needed, but I have not seen any response. Maybe my predecessor did.

“Now that there are two structures, we will need more money and we don’t have the capacity. The ministry will have to come in.”

However, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Principal Secretary  Charles Kalemba said councillors, chiefs, legislators and people from the district should help in coming up with solutions to have the council operate in a conducive environment.

“It’s the people from the district that destroyed the buildings. We helped in the first place with computers and other things, but they ended up destroying them again. If we help them, they will destroy again. So, let them handle the problem,” he said.