By Burnett Munthali
The Deputy Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Joyce Chitsulo, has urged district councils to take a firm stance against contractors who fail to meet contractual deadlines and standards.
She emphasized that councils should not hesitate to terminate contracts for non-compliant contractors, as their inefficiency could hinder development initiatives and disrupt service delivery in communities.
Chitsulo made these remarks on Friday in Kasungu, at the conclusion of her inspection tour of various government projects in the district.
“We must be strict with contractors who fail to deliver their contracts within agreed timelines,” Chitsulo stated.
She further stressed that delays in project completion lead to increased costs and burden the government with unnecessary expenses.
She also pointed out that communities should not be deprived of essential projects simply because a contractor failed to comply with contractual obligations.
“Do not tolerate this,” she warned, urging councils to be more proactive in enforcing contractual agreements.
During her tour, Chitsulo visited Traditional Authorities Kaomba, Chisikwa, Kaluluma, and Chisemphere, where she assessed the progress of various government-funded projects.
She expressed satisfaction with the quality of work on several projects, including the council office complex, the paying ward at the district hospital, and newly constructed concrete bridges.
“I am impressed with the projects we have seen, especially the council office, the paying ward at the district hospital, and some concrete bridges,” she said.
However, she raised concerns over delays in some projects, questioning whether they would be completed on time.
She also noted that some completed projects remain unused, but received assurances from the District Commissioner that necessary measures would be taken to operationalize them.
Member of Parliament for Kasungu North Constituency, Mike Bango, commended the government for initiating various development projects in the district.
He also praised the increase in the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), saying it is bringing positive change to communities.
Bango specifically commended Bonongwe Building Construction Company, which completed the K238 million Chikaka Primary School within a record 14 days, despite having a contract period of three months.
In his remarks, Kasungu District Commissioner, James Kanyangalazi, reaffirmed the council’s commitment to delivering quality projects for the benefit of local communities.
Among the key projects Chitsulo visited were the K839 million paying ward at the district hospital, built under the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) program, and the K230 million council office complex, constructed under the District Development Fund (DDF).
Other inspected projects included the GESD-funded Chikaka School and several CDF-funded bridges.
Looking ahead to the 2025/26 Financial Year, Kasungu District Council has proposed a K9.8 billion annual investment plan aimed at improving agricultural productivity, enhancing water and sanitation services, combating morbidity, and upgrading road infrastructure.
The proposed investments align with the government’s commitment to accelerating development and improving service delivery in rural communities.
