By Vincent Khonje
Kasungu, May 26, Mana: Vice President, Dr. Saulos Chilima Wednesday held reforms quarterly review meetings with Kasungu district and municipal councils to appreciate progress made on reform areas.
Chilima who is also Minister of Economic Planning and Development and Public Sector Reforms met the two councils’ officials separately in meetings that took place behind closed doors.
The meetings took approximately one hour each and the Vice President met with task force members for the two councils who presented progress report highlighting priority areas as well as challenges.
Later after the meeting, Chilima had a stopover at Kasungu Boma where he spoke to people, including Tonse Alliance followers.
Speaking to the gathering, he said it was necessary for him to meet the councils so that the people benefit from the efficiency of the councils.
“I met the two councils to fulfil what was being promised during campaign that there will be reforms in public sector in order for those that are working in the sector to serve the people well,”” the Vice President said.
Chilima assured that whatever the President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera promised would be implemented.
“There is need for patience because some of the things cannot be done hurriedly lest we destroy everything. Let us have the same faith we had that we would win the fresh elections which we won,” he said.
Kasungu Council Chairperson, Charles Binya said the council presented their plans for the period 2021 to 2022.
He highlighted that agriculture has been singled out as the most important sector to consider.
“We want to maximize yield for the farmers so that it gets to over 75 percent which is the current situation. So we will make sure we promote the use of organic manure,” he said.
Kasungu Municipal Council presented to the Vice President that council wants expand its revenue generation capacity, improve institutional and human capacity, enhance effective service delivery and improve fire fighting capabilities.
Mayor for Kasungu Municipality, Socrates Jere highlighted that the council continues to face some challenges like under collection of revenue, unavailability of well-established and spacious market and bus depot and poor road network.
The council has a lot of debts, for instance it owes Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) K33 million in Pay As You Earn tax, gratuities amounting to K29 million and K15 million in operational debts.
However, there is underpayment of government property rates as the council only receives a mere K6 million out of a possible K56 million per annum.
Kasungu Municipal Council faces problems in collecting revenue from bicycle and motorcyclist transport operators who resist paying fees.
Chilima is currently meeting councils in the central region to review the reforms that the councils presented to his office.
