Chikwawa, April 17 2016: Communities at Group Village Headman Nyambiro in Chikwawa are demanding for the return of a water solar pump which was removed from Dolo health centre to another health facility in the same district.
The revelations were made recently in Chikwawa when the National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust conducted an interface meeting at Nyambiro village under Senior Traditional Authority, Ngabu in the district.
According to Group Village Headman Nyambiro, the water solar pump which used to pump water to the maternity wing at the health facility was removed in 2009 by then Member of Parliament Joseph Tembo when the then Vice President Dr Joyce Banda was touring Mfera Health Centre as a way of painting a picture that everything was rosy.
“We were surprised that the MP decided to cheat government officials in that way and up to now we are still surprised that since after the vice president visit to Mfera health centre, the solar pump and panel were never returned.
To me that was cheating because you would not want to paint a good picture where there is none. I think that is being out of order and how would you develop when you cheat as though there is development?” queried Nyambiro.
He further stated that the situation has been disrupting delivery of health services as patients have to rely on a nearby borehole.
People also raised issues of inadequate health workers at Dolo health centre, inadequate boreholes and acute food shortages.
But they booed councilor of the area Victor Bondo for failing to speak convincingly on what he is doing to ensure equal distribution of developmental projects in the area.
On his part, Bondo who seemed calm said there was a need for people to understand that councilors have no specific funding to implement projects.
When contacted, Parliamentarian of the area, Illias Karim said he followed up the solar panel incident with the ministry and said that he was assured that through the rural electrification project, Dolo health centre will have electricity to pump water by June this year.
Chikwawa district Nice Trust Coordinator, Joseph Chamambala emphasized on the importance of duty bearers to be accurate to the people, calling on them to work in the best interest of the communities.
He blamed the solar incident indicating it as out of order “that was cheating our leaders because it was necessary for the government officials to see exact things on the ground. It’s pathetic that our leaders do that to please those they serve.”
Chamambala further stated that it is time communities must not wait for the nongovernmental organizations, civil society organizations to go into their areas but they instead communities themselves should exercise their powers to come out and ask their leaders they voted into power.
“The communities should realize that they have a mandate to know what their leaders are doing and the development going on in their areas. There is that need for community participation by interacting with their leaders,” said Chamambala.
