Deputy Minister of Local Government Halima Daudi has demanded audit of all development projects which have stalled in Rumphi District.
Daudi made the demand when she mediated ceasefire talks over misunderstandings that arose between Rumphi District Commissioner Fred Movete and Rumphi West parliamentarian Yona Mkandawire after the legislator wrote Ministry of Local Government demanding accountability on goods procured using development funds.
Daudi said she also wants an audit report on K6 million which the council say was used by ex-MP for Rumphi West Jacqueline Kouwenhoven.
“It transpired that there is also a K6 million which is reported to have been used by the former parliamentarian for Rumphi West Constituency but it does not reflect anywhere in the audit reports so I demanded auditors to provide a report on that immediately,” Daudi said.
She also demanded timely submission of reports of all projects underway in the District so as to build trust between the executive and council secretariat.
In an interview, Chairperson for Rumphi District Council, Councilor Happy Chirambo expressed comfort with the minister’s visit whom she said tackled on a number of important areas including information sharing which has derailed progress in the district for a long time.
“Information sharing has all along been a very huge challenge between the executive and the Secretariat here at Rumphi District Council so the minister stressed on the need to deal away with that issue which has been hampering development growth of our district,” Chirambo said.
Meanwhile, the parliamentarian, Yona Mkandawire and Rumphi District Commissioner Fred Movete have promised to work together for the common good of development growth of the district.
Out of the four parliamentarians in Rumphi, only Mkandawire attended the meeting.
