By Sylvester Kumwenda

Dowa, October 23, Mana: Director of Planning and Development at Dowa District Council Mercy Mpakule, said the council need to strengthen awareness of the new National Decentralization Policy (NDP) to make sure people are aware of it, and fully demand services from the council in accordance with decentralization and the policy.

She made the remarks Tuesday, when the Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture conducted an orientation meeting with the management of Dowa district council, on the new NDP second edition of 2024, which provides a guiding framework for the local government system.

Mpakule said the orientation was important, but asked council officials and stakeholders to trickle it down to the people at the district level whom she said were the real beneficiaries of the policy.

"You should make sure that you raise awareness of the policy with all your staff so that they know how to implement it. But most importantly, amongst the community members.

"When community members are empowered and aware of decentralization and the NDP, they will know what, which services to demand from the council and how to demand these, which is their right. So, I urge you to ensure all our citizens know of this policy," she said.

The Malawi government through cabinet, approved the NDP revised edition of 2024 on February 6 2024, and it was subsequently launched by the minister of Local government, unity and culture Richard Chimwendo Banda.

Public Relations Officer for the ministry Anjoya Mwanza said some of the key priority areas for the NDP include Local governance, political decentralization, Fiscal Decentralization, Local Development Planning and Infrastructure Development for municipal services.

“We want to popularize the policy. So, we are currently meeting a few selected councils, but the plan is to meet all councils and different groups of people so that they know in detail what is contained in the new document and what their responsibilities are going forward,” she said.