Train traditional leaders in governance, says chief

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Traditional Authority (T/A) Mposa of Machinga District has asked the Ministry of Local Government to facilitate the training of chiefs in governance issues.

Speaking in an interview yesterday after Deputy Minister of Local Government Halima Daudelevated Sub-T/A Nyumwanyumwa to T/A and group village head Ngunga to ST/A and installed T/A Nkula following the death of the previous chief in 2019, he said there is knowledge gap on governance issues among many traditional leaders.

Said Mposa: “Traditional leaders are key development players at local level. Only chiefs who have knowledge on development issues can spearhead government’s agenda.

“As you can see, our Chiefs Act of 1967 has been updated. We need to review the Act to change other things, and one of it is to re-introduce chiefs’ trainings.”

In response, Daud assured traditional leaders about government’s plan to facilitate chiefs’ trainings once it finalisesconsultations.

“We will meet traditional leaders to hear about their challenges to address them,” she said.

Daud also said government plans to switch chiefs’ payment from bank to mobile money platforms to ease mobility challenges to banks.

“Government is working with TNM and Airtel Malawi service providers to facilitate the electronic payment through Mpamba and Airtel Money mobile platforms,” she said.

Paramount Chief Kawinga commended government for the plan, saying it will help to reduce vulnerabilities chiefs faced during their journeys to access their honoraria in banks.

Mirriam Jauma, a community member from Ngunga Village, agreed with Chief Mposa on the need to train traditional leaders in governance issues.

“We need traditional leaders who know what their positions demand to accelerate development in the district,” she said.

Chiefs in the country attend full council meetings at district level where among others, development issues are discussed