In a bid to enhance efficiency and effective service delivery, the Lilongwe City Council has reshuffled some of its key staff and directors across various directorates.
According to our sources, the reshuffle follows reports that all directors, except the Chief Executive Officer, were in permanent positions, creating a breeding ground for sabotage. “The directors could do as they pleased since their safety was guaranteed; by the end of the day, it was the CEO who was paying the price,” said our source.
The reshuffle also comes on the heels of a staff performance appraisal exercise, which was conducted in response to feedback from city residents. The appraisal report revealed significant gaps in various directorates, including the finance department, where some employees are yet to receive their December salaries, and suppliers are reluctant to do business with the council due to unpaid goods and services.
The commerce department was also found to be under-collecting revenue without justification, with some city revenue ending up in individual pockets. The legal department scored the lowest in the appraisal, with the council facing huge court damages.
Developers were deliberately frustrated by some officers in the planning and development department, while parallel approval systems benefited individuals rather than the council. The health department was criticized for its deplorable sanitation, slow response times, and the city’s growing garbage problem.
The public works department was also found to be performing poorly, with poor road conditions despite dedicated contractors for each road. The Lilongwe City Council, led by Mayor Richard Banda, aims to address these gaps and improve service delivery to its residents through the reshuffle.
While the move may face resistance from some quarters, particularly from individuals who have held senior positions for nearly 30 years, it is expected to have a significant impact on the city’s future undertakings and quality of service delivery.
