The Mchinji District Council in Malawi has directed non-governmental organisations (NGOs) implementing nutrition interventions in the district to register with the council within a two-month period from November 2026. This move aims to ensure that all NGOs operating in the district are accountable and transparent in their operations. The council's principal nutrition, HIV and Aids officer, Davie Panyani, issued the directive during the Third Quarter Civil Society Organisation (CSO) Network Review.
According to the council, only five out of 21 NGOs currently implementing nutrition interventions in the district are registered with the council. Panyani emphasised the importance of registration, stating that it will enable the council to know the catchment areas and intervention objectives of each organisation, reducing duplication of efforts and ensuring that the council's priorities are not compromised.
The council's secretariat has established a mapping form that NGOs must complete as part of the registration process. This form will provide critical information about each organisation's operations, including their nutrition budgets. Panyani warned that NGOs that fail to register within the given timeframe will be barred from operating in the district.
The Mchinji District Council has engaged with the local CSO Network chairperson, the NGO Regulatory Authority, and the Civil Society Organisation Nutrition Alliance (Csona) district leads to ensure that all organisations involved in nutrition interventions are registered. Csona Mchinji district lead, Davis Damson, expressed the alliance's commitment to strengthening coordination between NGOs and government sectors to advance nutrition activities in the district.
Damson urged NGOs to register, while also calling on the government to consider extending the ultimatum period to allow all players implementing nutrition interventions to register and become accountable to the government. The registration process is expected to promote transparency and accountability among NGOs operating in the district.
The Mchinji District Council's move to order NGOs to register is part of a broader effort to improve coordination and effectiveness of nutrition interventions in the district. By registering with the council, NGOs will be required to disclose their nutrition budgets and provide information about their operations.
The registration deadline is set for January 2027, and NGOs that fail to comply will face consequences. The council's decision is expected to have a significant impact on the operations of NGOs in the district, and stakeholders are eagerly awaiting the outcome.
Key points
- The Mchinji District Council has given NGOs two months to register.
- Only five out of 21 NGOs are currently registered with the council.
- The registration process aims to promote transparency and accountability among NGOs.
