Deepening citizen voice on good governance, democracy and community development

The Chilungamo Programme ultimately addresses two core Malawi’s governance challenges, namely:

1. Lack of transparency and accountability amongst duty bearers, and;
2. Weak accountability institutions and limited capacity of the citizens to demand and claim their rights.

DURATION OF THE PROCESS: From March 2015 and it is still in process

The Programme is designed to support institutions of governance on both the demand and supply side. The programme will support the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), National Registration Bureau (NRB), Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs (MoJCA), Judiciary, Malawi Prisons, Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) and  Legal Aid Bureau (LAB) on the supply side of accountability. On the demand side the programme will support civil society organizations (CSOs), the media and the National Initiative for Civic Education Trust (NICE).

A prominent feature in the new NICE has been the requirement for the institution to go beyond ‘defining democracy’ so as to continue facilitating citizen empowerment to allow for greater participation, inclusiveness and accountability in decision-making processes at all levels of society.  This is summed up in the NICE’s guiding philosophy of ‘Walking with Communities’.   The new NICE has been designed in such a way that it takes civic education to key duty-bearers such as public officers, elected leaders, traditional leaders and does not just focus on working with the grass-root communities.

NICE’s Multi-Annual Programme Estimate (MAPE) is aligned to both objectives of the Chilungamo Programme.   The main objective of the MAPE   is “to contribute towards the promotion of democracy and good governance in Malawi through civic and voter education.”  The support that the Chilungamo Financing Agreement contains towards NICE, is consistent with NICE’s Strategic Pillars of; Demand Side of Governance (Transparency and Accountability), Social Cohesion and Peaceful Co-existence, Citizen Participation in Public Life, Electoral Processes and Voter Education. The Programme further focuses on supporting the consolidation of institutional growth of NICE as an independent Public Trust.

NICE was re-constituted as a Public Trust in 2012 after operating as a project of the Malawi Government funded by the European Union since 1999.  The purpose for the project was to strengthen democracy and inspire citizen participation in public decision-making processes and implementation. NICE was registered on 14th March, 2012 under the Trustees Incorporation Act 5:03 of the laws of Malawi to become an independent and autonomous organization with an independent Board of Trustees appointed through an open, participatory and transparent process.

THE CASE STUDY

• The area of Traditional Authority Kapondo is in Mponda Ward in Mchinji North East Central Constituency. Group Village Chiludzi is comprised of eleven villages that were facing challenges interms of access to clean and portable water plus access to quality primary education. There were no boreholes that could support the population with clean and portable water plus inadequate school blocks that could lead some pupils attending some classes in a thatched structure which was putting learners at risk during rain season.
• Things became worse when GVH Chiludzi was promised to be given school block at Chiludzi primary school and later the program changed, instead the block was given to Chizula primary school the reason being there were few learners at Chiludzi primary school. This did not go well with the communities around Chiludzi primary school and by then they had no idea where to present their problems.  

2. INTERVENTION PROCESS:

• Sensitisation Meeting on roles of Members of Parliament

Councillors and Traditional Leaders and the local leaders

 The first meeting was a sensitisation meeting on the roles of Members of Parliament, Councillors and Traditional Leaders and the local leaders were also trained on voice and accountability. It was at this meeting that the local leaders expressed their sadness over the lack of access to clean and portable water and access to quality education which was as a result of the poor environment learners were learning.  The local leaders and communities atlarge were advised on the concept of citizen forum and how issues of community interest like the one on clean and portable water plus quality education through creation of conducive learning evirnment can be furthered.

• Establishment of Maganga Citizen Forum

In March 2015, Chiludzi Citizen Forum was instituted and trained on its role. On the first issues to be followed by the Forum the issue of new blocks at Chiludzi primary school and clean and portable water in the surrounding villages were prioritised.

• Chiludzi Community Stakeholder Meeting

In May 2015, Chiludzi Citizen Forum invited different local leaders in the area like the councillor, Group Village Headmen, Village Development Committee members, Area Development Committee members and representative of different Non-governmental Organisations working in the area. The role of citizen forum was explained to the stakeholders for awareness and support. Citizen forum members encouraged the stakeholdrs gathered to take part and encourage all community members to take part in any devepment issues that are taking place in the area.  The community members were also encouraged to have the self initative project by building their own school block as they waited for the government support to which all stakeholders gave a node and planned to start molding bricks for the construction of a block.

• Local Resource Mobilisation Initiative

Community members through the help and guidance of Chiludzi Citizen Forum managed to mobilize community members to bring together their efforts and resources to have the block constructed plus to have shared role in approaching different stakeholders plus duty bearers for any additional support for the development of the area.

• Construction of Chiludzi primary school block.

The forum helped the surrounding communities to construct the school block which assisted learners to move from a grass thatched classroom to have a decent classroom with little disturbances during rainy season. Community members molded bricks and burn them, some community members contributed by building the block and at advance stage councillor and MP contributed with ironsheets and cement for the roof and floor, respectively.

3. ACHIEVEMENTS:

1. Establishment of Chiludzi Citizen Forum:  Institution of Chiludzi Citizen Forum in T/A Kapondo which is providing critical agency for voice and accountability in the area.
2. Capacity-building of citizen forum:  Training of Chiludzi Citizen Forum on its roles and how to foster voice and accountability.
3. Opinion leader mobilisation:  Mobilisation of required local leaders by Chiludzi Citizen Forum in May 2015 on construction of school block and clean and portable water.
4. Creation of a self-sustaining strategy:  Commitment by the community through contributing sand and bricks for the construction of the school block.
5. Restructuring:  Reconstitution of various committees like the School Committee, Village Development Committee, Area Development Committee which has resulted in improved transparency and accountability
6. Improved responsiveness by duty bearers: the issues that were being raised by the Chiludzi Citizens on school block and portable water have most of them been sorted out and there is an increased desire by the concerned duty bearers on linking with the citizens of Chiludzi.

4. CHALLENGES:

 i. Some corrupt and ill will duty bearers do not appreciate the work that is done by the forum and hence they act as a bottle neck to the progress of the work of the forum.

5. CRUCIAL ELEMENTS FOR SUCCESS

1. Involvement of key structures and opinion leaders:  Involvement of all the critical development stakeholders in T/A Kapondo like the Traditional Leader, Ward Councillor, Group Village Headmen and women and Area Development Committee was very important because it made the group move in one direction, they knew the problem at hand and were ready to work together to deal with the problem.

1. Ownership of the process with courage and determination:  The issue of school block and portable water are issues that really affect the people of Chiludzi and they are eager to go an extra mile just to see that it is addressed.

OTHER ISSUES BEING FOLLOWED UP BY CHILUDZI CITIZEN FORUM

Continueing its role of raising citizen voice for the people of Chiludzi, the Chiludzi Citizen Forum also worked on following up on how School Improvement Grants are being used at Chiludzi primary school which resulted into improved transparency and accountability on the use of the SIG. It also facilitated the drilling of two bowholes in GVH Chiludzi which assisted people accessing clean and portable water.  

7. ANNEXES / MATERIALS

Attached are handouts that were used during this process on roles of councillors, Members of Parliament, and traditional leaders as well as deepening citizen’s voices and downward accountability and pictures.