Karonga District Council has introduced a harmonized Grievance Redressing Mechanism (GRM) to stakeholders and civil society organizations, aiming to establish a standardized procedure for addressing misunderstandings within the district.
Speaking during the District Executive Committee (DEC) meeting on Friday, Karonga District Council Labour Officer Peck Chawinga, representing the Director of Planning and Development, emphasized the importance of the GRM in providing a simple, speedy, and cost-effective way to resolve grievances.
“The implementation of a program may generate complaints and grievances, so the GRM will assist in investigating complaints and clarifying issues at an earlier stage. It will also help prevent minor disagreements from escalating into serious disputes,” said Chawinga.
He further explained that misunderstandings during project implementation often arise due to poor service delivery, human rights violations, land and property loss, or unfair treatment by program staff.
Chawinga also highlighted that grievances of a criminal nature should be reported directly to the Police, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), or the Office of the Ombudsman.
Meanwhile, non-criminal cases should first be addressed at the village level, with an option to escalate them to higher levels if necessary.
Chairperson for the Civil Society Organizations Network in Karonga District, Edgar Phiri, commended the council for introducing the harmonized GRM, stating that it will help speed up conflict resolution between communities and project implementers by promoting local dialogue.
Phiri also urged all stakeholders and civil society organizations in the district to adhere to the GRM whenever conflicts arise during project implementation.
By Wakisa Myamba
