Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Dr Ben Malunga Phiri, has launched a blistering attack on Mchinji District Council, describing it as the worst-performing council he has encountered during his nationwide tour of local authorities.
A visibly angered Phiri rated the council zero out of ten after reviewing its annual performance report, citing widespread corruption, poor leadership, and indiscipline as major obstacles to effective service delivery.
“I have visited more than ten district councils across the country, and Mchinji is by far the worst. This level of performance is shocking,” Phiri said during a meeting with council officials.
The minister warned that his ministry will take decisive action against what he called growing laziness, misuse of public resources, and a culture of impunity in councils.
“There is so much corruption in councils, and it must be nipped in the bud. Lateness to work, gossiping during office hours, lack of seriousness, and mismanagement of public funds are crippling service delivery. This will not be tolerated,” Phiri declared.
He further warned that any duty bearers found engaging in malpractice risk dismissal and legal action.
As part of reforms to tighten financial controls, Phiri announced a shift toward digital revenue collection systems, warning against the continued use of personal receipts in handling public funds.
“We want transparency and accountability. Digital transactions will help close loopholes that allow abuse of public money,” he said, adding that technical experts will be deployed to assist the council in implementing the changes.
Phiri also urged Mchinji District Council to strengthen its local revenue generation base, noting that councils must complement central government funding with locally generated resources to improve development outcomes.
However, Mchinji District Council Chairperson Kennedy Chipanga pushed back on some of the minister’s findings, saying the council’s revenue performance had been misreported.
“The figures presented to the minister were not accurate. We have actually reached 103 percent of our revenue target, surpassing projections,” Chipanga said, while admitting that the council’s report contained errors.
He nevertheless welcomed the minister’s guidance and pledged to strengthen accountability and improve service delivery.
Phiri’s tough stance in Mchinji signals a broader government push to reform local governance structures, with the minister promising a nationwide crackdown on corruption and inefficiency in councils.
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