By Mercy Kawenga, MEC Stringer
Chiefs and communities surrounding Tsikiti primary school in the area of Traditional Authority Chiwere in Dowa are mobilising themselves to hold a demonstration protest at the DCs office to force their Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Member of Parliament (MP) Richard Chimwendo Banda to tell them the truth surrounding MK4 billion Community Constituency Development Fund( CDF) which Parliament shared equally to the 193 constituencies of the country.
Each constituency was allocated MK19 million but on a surprise development, Tsikiti primary school block project committee was given MK25,000 cash which it was not told what it was for and the purpose.
According to an inside source who is a member of the project committee speaking on condition of anonymity, said the demos were set for this week but cancelled to a later day in the coming weeks due to the heavy rains which are falling in the area making most of the roads impassable.
An inside source said the project committee of Tsikiti school was all set for their project and had done foundations for the classroom block.
The source said the MP Chimwendo Banda asked the committee to get quotations for the building materials which included cement at MK 7,500 per bag but this was turned down by the MP.
He said what surprised the committee was that the MP preferred to procure cement from Lilongwe at an alleged price of K10,000 per bag for the reasons best explained by himself.
The source said the MP assured them that he will get another quotation for the same in Lilongwe but this has not happened till todate only to be told that the office of the DC will procure the building materials making the communities waiting and are tired as to when the materials will come.
When contacted, MP for Dowa East constituency, Chimwendo Banda first, denied any knowledge of the MK25,000 cash given to the project committee wondering what it was for and its purpose saying he will also probe for this.
The lawmaker said the project is being managed by the council which is better placed to shed some light on the Tsikiti school block construction project.
District Commissioner for Dowa, Alex Mdooko faulted MP for failing to disseminate the information of the project at the right time saying the issue was discussed at the full council.
Mdooko said Community Constituency Development Fund( CDF) is approved by MPs in parliament who allocate to the constituencies and not the District Commissioner( DC).
He admitted that Tsikiti school block project committee was given MK25,000 petty cash to meet other expenses which will be incurred while the project is being implemented and not the actual money for the project.
The DC said CDF projects have received funding and the accounts officers are going to the constituencies to pay for the projects.
The Malawi Human Rights Resource Center( MHRRC) with support from the Danish Church Aid( DCA) is implementing Citizen Voice and Action in Local government and Decentralization processes project in two T.As of Kayembe and Chiwere in Dowa where the rights holders are empowered to hold the duty bearers accountable for the projects being implemented in an area.
