Govt transfers CEO of Mzuzu City Council

A week after suspending two officers at Mzuzu City Council (MCC) over alleged funds mismanagement, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has transferred MCC Chief Executive Officer Macloud Kadammanja and deployed him to be District Commissioner (DC) for Balaka.

Both Kadammanja and Ministry of Local Government Public Relations Officer Muhlabase Mughogho have confirmed the development in separate interviews.

However, Mughogho described the transfer as normal.

Mughogho then said DC for Balaka Emmanuel Bambe will replace the late Thomas Chirwa who until his death last month, was DC for Mzimba.

“Yes I can confirm about the transfers but it is not related to the issues that happened at Mzuzu City Council. Currently, Balaka DC has been moved to Mzimba District Council,” Mughogho said.

The ministry has not yet come out on who will replace Kadammanja at MCC.

Kadammanja said he has already made some handovers and that he will soon be going to Balaka after serving as MCC CEO for five years.

Mzuzu City Deputy Mayor Gift Desire Nyirenda said the council will miss the services of Kadammanja such as the courage he had in meeting councillors whenever something went amiss.

“Generally, Kadammanja was good although he cannot be 100 percent good. He was somebody easy to approach and he would always create room for discussions when something went wrong,” Nyirenda said.

MCC junior workers stayed for almost four months without receiving their salaries while the council is also said to be in huge debts with companies, individuals and institutions.

At Balaka District Council, workers recently downed their tools to force the council to pay them salaries after staying unpaid for some months.

In Mzuzu, the Ministry of Local Government intervened in the council’s challenges by providing revenue collection expertise.