Mzuzu City Council Grapples with Transparency Amid Corruption Allegations
In response to complaints of corrupt practices at Mzuzu City Council in recent years, the ACB has established an integrity committee to address these concerns.
MZUZU, Malawi — Facing legal challenges and heightened scrutiny, Mzuzu City Council is doubling down on its commitment to transparency and accountability, particularly in its infrastructure development projects, writes Tionge Hara.
Macdonald Gondwe, the city's public relations officer, detailed the council's efforts in an interview with AfricaBrief.
"As the council, we use Malawi public procurement regulations being a public entity. In the 2023/24 financial year, we awarded the following contracts with accountability," he stated.
Gondwe listed six major projects:
1. St. Peters Bridge-Chasefu Bridge Maintenance
2. Construction of Shekina Slab Culvert
3. Mzilawaingwe-Mzuzu Stadium Slab Culvert
4. Chiwanja Bridge Maintenance
5. Construction of Luwinga Assemblies Slab Culvert
6. Thawe Slab Culvert
"To ensure transparency, Mzuzu city council opted for open tendering and bids were opened in the presence of bidders," Gondwe explained.
"Thereafter, an ad-hoc evaluation team evaluated the bids. Evaluation reports were scrutinized and approved by IPDC."
The council's emphasis on transparency comes amid growing concerns about misuse of public funds in local government.
An audit report released in March 2023 by the National Audit Office revealed that approximately K5.9 billion could not be accounted for in local councils during the previous fiscal year.
Alwyn Kumwenda, councilor for Zolozolo, noted that while no complaints have been brought to the council's attention, they remain vigilant.
"If there's really a problem in the council's procurement process, we're supposed to come in, review and rectify the system, and give advice to the council," he said.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has taken notice of the situation in Mzuzu.
Jonathan Chisale, Senior Public Education Officer for the ACB, recently warned local authorities against abusing development funds during a workshop in Salima.
"The general public has a great role in safeguarding public resources by reporting any mismanagement of funds," Chisale emphasized.
In response to complaints of corrupt practices at Mzuzu City Council in recent years, the ACB has established an integrity committee to address these concerns.
The ongoing struggle highlights the complex landscape of local governance in Malawi, where efforts to maintain ethical standards clash with deeply rooted challenges in public resource management.