A study report released yesterday in Lilongwe by independent consultant Professor Mustafa Hussein, conducted the performance of councils in the 2018 /2019 financial year, and has revealed that at least 79% of city and district councils are underperforming.

According to the report, only Blantyre and M’mbelwa councils topped the list of the most 14 improved councils (based on key national average score for all key performance areas (KPAs), followed by Kasungu, Mulanje, Dowa, and Lilongwe. According to the report, during the year in review, the national score for all KPAs was 31%, lower than the 2016/2017 national score of 35% representing a 4% decline in the performance. “However, the aggregate national score of 31 percent is below 50 percent and it implies there is need for improvement.” says part of the report.

Scoring low on the KPAs in the report are Rumphi and Karonga, Thyolo, Dedza, Ntcheu, Likoma, Neno, Balaka, Mwanza, Nsanje, Nkhotokota, Chitipa and Chikwawa. On the other hand, having noted that the country’s local government councils have been involved in mismanagement of public funds, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has revealed that it will enforce the use of Integrated Financial Management Information System (Ifmis) in the 35 local government councils. The report has emphasized that performance of all KPAs need improvement on the governance aspect.