‘It’s wrong to label anyone who speaks about people’s welfare a ‘politician’’

‘It’s wrong to label anyone who speaks about people’s welfare a ‘politician’’
By Agness Changala
Mon 01 Feb. 2010, 04:00 CAT

NORWEIGIAN Church Aid (NCA) programmes manager Margaret Machila has said it is wrong to label anyone who speaks about people's welfare a 'politician'. In an interview, Machila said many things were political and people should be left to comment on what they felt should be commented on.

“The road to my house is political, many things are political. What isn't political? Why should they say Margaret should comment about this and not that?” she asked. “I should comment on anything. It's my right and I don't want to be put in a corner.”

Machila said people should also be allowed to be angry because it's their right to do so.

“It's your right but it should not overshadow the core business of the agenda,” she said.

And Machila has advised those in government to stop making laws that will work against them when they leave office. She said those in office today should not forget that they would be out tomorrow and even join the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).

She said governors should not make laws that they themselves would not want to be subjected to.
“Those in the government now must be careful because the same laws they are making now to frustrate others will work against them,” she said.

Machila said instead of coming up with laws like the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) Act to frustrate NGOs, the government should provide an enabling environment for them to go where it did not reach to deliver social services.

Machila advised the government not to see NGOs as enemies with intentions of taking over the government but as partners to developing the nation.

She also charged that the NGO Act was meant to shrink the political space for NGO activities.
Machila said the government brought about the NGO Act because it did not want to be checked on and subsequently get away with certain things they did wrong.

“The government knows that this eve of elections, CSOs' actions are going to every corner through citizen education but we want it government to be facilitative and not inhibitive,” Machila said. “Here, all they want to do is they want NGOs to be getting permission, become limited in their actions.”

Machila has since called for more constructive engagement with the state.

“And the control in my view is between now and when they put that Act in place. After campaigns and elections are over, you hear nobody will talk about the NGO Act,” said Machila.