Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has said acting District Commissioner in Thyolo should be appointed as the Ministry was looking into Chiefs and Councillors’ concerns over Dr. Medson Matchaya’s posting to Thyolo Council where he is already labeled unprofessional following a dispute in Nkhotakota recently.
The Thyolo meeting was held in camera as a representative of Secretary for Local Government, Alufeyo Banda engaged in almost five hours discussions to find solutions on Dr. Matchaya posting from Nkhotakota where Council staff staged a sit over wages arrears.
Banda who is from the National Local Government Financing Committee chaired the meeting and later said his visit is a follow up to concerns which were expressed in a letter to the ministry from Thyolo Councillors and other concerned people expressing their dissatisfaction over Dr. Matchaya’ s posting to Thyolo Council.
“I am here for a dialogue over the grievances that Councilors raised out in a letter, we know that what sparked the grievances are rumours and hearsays that Matchaya is unprofessional DC,” he said.
Recently, Principal Secretary for Local Government, Charles Kalemba travelled to Nkhotakota to engage in a discussion with employees at the Council who wanted immediate removal of Dr. Matchaya from the council on allegations of abuse of office.
Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development resolved to post Dr. Matchaya from Nkhotakota to Thyolo Council where the posting is meeting resistance,
After the Thyolo meeting, Banda said would report what transpired in the meeting to the Ministry adding that issues dealing with DC’s transfers lays in the hands of the minister of Local Government and Rural Development.
“But currently, acting DC has to be appointed among staff’s pending responses from the
Ministry.” Banda said
Thyolo District Council Chair, Sandram Maulana who co- chaired the meeting commended the Ministry for sending a representative to hear concerns over Dr. Matchaya’s posting.
“I have to appreciate the coming of the PS representative to hear our outcries,” he said while commending fellow Ward Councillors for expressing their dissatisfaction over posting.
He welcomed the idea of choosing an acting DC as the Council was waiting for the Ministry’s response over the issue.
Traditional Authority (TA) Khwethemule said Thyolo wants a DC who can move the district to greater heights while responding to peoples’ development needs.
Last week, Councillors in Thyolo held a meeting and agreed to write the Ministry Local Government over the posting of Dr. Matchaya saying they will take unspecified action if the decision to send Dr. Matchaya to Thyolo could not be reversed.
