Traditional chief Chekucheku installed after 14-year wait
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Malawi Voice
The official installation of Traditional Authority Chekucheku ends 14 years without a substantive holder of the chieftaincy in Neno district, Malawi. Minister Ben Phiri highlighted the role of chiefs in representing communities and the decentralisation policy, according to Malawi Voice.
Malawi’s Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Dr Ben Phiri, officially installed Traditional Authority Chekucheku on Friday at Nen, in Neno district, ending 14 years without a substantive chief. The ceremony brought together government officials, traditional chiefs, religious leaders and residents, Malawi Voice reports.
Ben Phiri said the government was working to adopt a law on chieftaincies, which has been under review for several years. He also said the absence of a chief deprives residents of representation on development committees as part of the Malawian government’s decentralisation policy.
On the El Niño weather phenomenon, Ben Phiri said the government was preparing to mitigate its effects on the population, linking it to climate change. He also called on Malawians to pray for God’s mercy.
The installation of Chekucheku is intended to restore traditional representation in the area and support local development efforts. It comes after Malawi’s budget session was postponed on 29 October to prepare the response to El Niño.
