Purple Innovation, Journalists, Mzuzu Council Collaborate for COVID-19 Funds Transparency

Malawi-In a landmark move to promote transparency and accountability, Purple Innovation for Women and Girls and journalists working under its COVID-19 funds tracking project on Wednesday engaged the Mzuzu City Council to create a working collaboration, writes Blair Mhone.

The meeting, held in the council chambers, was attended by representatives from different council departments, including acting Chief Executive Officer Yotamu Mtafya.

Mtafya emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability and the need for the council and the media to work together to ensure the public has access to accurate and timely information about different projects.

"To us, we have welcomed this project. As a council on our own, we might not know what's going on, and we rely on stakeholders like journalists who might assist in exploring areas that we might not know about but are happening at the council," he said.

Mtafya also called for Purple Innovation to consider extending the project to other areas as well, not only limiting it to COVID-19 expenditure.

"We want every money we collect to be used for its proper purpose, and we are requesting that they extend beyond COVID-19 funds," he added.

Tchakazulu Mvula, Program Manager for Purple Innovation for Women and Girls, said the project aims to ensure that any incidents of mismanagement of funds are brought to light.

"The city council has welcomed us, and we are hoping that our journalists, when they seek information relating to COVID-19 funds, will be assisted accordingly," Mvula said.

The Mzuzu City Council outlined initiatives in place to increase transparency and communication, and Mtafya thanked Purple Innovation for the engagement and input, promising to continue to engage with the media to ensure that Mzuzu citizens remained well-informed about its social service delivery.

Purple Innovation for Women and Girls is implementing the project with funding from the National Democratic Institute, and 20 journalists have been engaged.