Probe local councils—Nest
The National Elections Systems Trust (Nest) has underscored the need for the media and the general public to involve themselves in public expenditure tracking process as a way of ensuring that duty bearers at all levels are accountable.
Nest Executive Director Unandi Banda was speaking in Blantyre, Monday during a media advocacy for community scorecard and public expenditure tracking process with an aim of encouraging the media to take a leading role in ensuring that people are receiving their right to development from the elected leaders.
According to Banda, Malawians are left behind in terms of development because since the birth of independence, there has been no-one who probes further into budgetary allocations to track down if those funds are put to proper use.
“Malawians have to check with critical interest the usage of public resources if the country is to move forward in development, it is surprising that we are happy when the budget passes in parliament and we don’t make follow ups hence the country’s poverty because duty bearers are using public funds in their own ways. Malawi is losing billions of money meant for development,” he said.
Currently, Nest is running a community scorecard and public expenditure tracking process in Neno where Banda says they have established that a lot of money is lost through projects that have stalled for many years.
“There are a lot of issues in local councils, officials there are swindling money that is meant for the public and our investigations are revealing a lot of issues but we are doing more including engaging the local masses so that they can open up and demand accountability to both council officials and anyone directly in contact with public funds,” said Banda.
Programmes Officer for Nest Odreck Kathamalo warned that if cashgate is popular at Capital Hill, there must be massive plundering of public resources at local councils that need further probing
A vibrant writer who gives a great insight on hot topics and issues
