Court Order Forces Government to Postpone DCs and CEOs Orientation
Mwanza
- file photo
A Supreme Court of Appeal’s stay order has forced the government to postpone to a later date a three day orientation workshop for newly appointed and promoted district commissioners and chief executive officers.
A copy of an invitation from the Secretary for Local Government in our possession, dated 30th January, 2023, indicates that the orientation was slated for Salima from today.
Spokesperson in the ministry, Anjoya Mwanza, told Zodiak Online on Sunday that “it has been postponed to a date to be announced.”
The invitation partly reads, “The objective is to have a local government staff complement that is fit-for-purpose and which can assist the Ministry deliver on its transformative agenda.
“To this end, 14 district commissioners and chief executive officers have been appointed.
It further reads, “the ultimate goal of this orientation is to produce a cohort of district commissioners and chief executive officers that are technically, administratively, and managerially competent to drive the ministry’s transformation agenda.”
The Ministry wanted to use the same as a refresher for other district commissioners and chief executive officers as, “as there are a lot of emerging issues which they ought to be aware of.”
The Supreme Court of Appeal has granted Malawi Local Government Association (MALGA) a stay of execution of judgement by the lower court pending determination of the appeal on transfers and redeployment of some District Commissioners (DCs) and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs).
The order has been granted on conditions that summons be filed to settle record in the court within seven days, hearing of the summons to settle record within 14 days and enter the appeal with the Registrar of the Court within 21 days.
The stay order will see the DCs and CEOs that moved to new working stations return.
Mwanza told us on Saturday, “The Ministry will comply with the supreme court order, accordingly.
She added, “The Attorney General's office is currently preparing the defense.”
MALGA Executive Director, Hadrod Zeru Mkandawire, earlier told Zodiak Online, they would proceed with their appeal against last year's High Court order despite government's move to effect the transfers of District Commissioners to their new working stations.
