By Andrew Gondwe

Chitipa, August 30, Mana: Chitipa Civil Society Organization (CSO) Network on Tuesday elected Director for Thembi Community Initiative, Patrick Dziba as its chairperson after the position went vacant when former chairperson, Sydney Simwaka resigned after a month in office.

Ziba was elected unopposed as he was the erstwhile vice chairperson for the grouping.

In his acceptance speech, Ziba assured the council that his committee will maintain good collaboration between CSOs and Chitipa District Council and continue complementing the council in implementation of developmental projects.

“Communities in Chitipa should expect a vibrant CSO network. The CSO will work hand in hand with stakeholders and citizens of Chitipa district for sustainable development at district and national levels,” he said.

Director of Planning and Development (DPD) for Chitipa District Council, Josen Tembo urged the newly elected chairperson and all CSO network members to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the district council to promote a good working relationship.

He urged the grouping to promote capacity building and awareness on developmental issues at the grassroots level to bring about mindset change in the communities.

“Different structures must be formed starting from the district to the community level. Local people including the youth should be involved in developmental activities taking place in their areas. This encourages development of a sense of ownership and sustainability,” he said.

Tembo also advised all NGOs operating in the district to be transparent and accountable to the district council and the communities they are working in. 

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