MWANANCHI Dialogue Forum Ends

Concord Times (Freetown)

Ben Turay

12 May 2011

Freetown — The Campaign for Good Governance (CGG) in collaboration with Democracy Sierra Leone (DSL) has ended a one-day dialogue meeting called ‘MWANANCHI’, meaning ‘Leh We Tok’ at the Santano House in Freetown on the theme, “Demystifying parliamentary representation: What opportunities for women and youth”.

Program coordinator of CGG, Marcella Macaulay, informed participants that the aim of the meeting was to create dialogue between MPs and their people in their various communities. She said the importance of the MWANANCHI project was to cultivate effective coalitions of change involving civil society organisations (CSOs), the media; to increase the skills and capacities of CSOs and elected representatives in channelling the voices of the ordinary citizens to be more effective in policy-making; and also to develop support mechanisms and activities for more effective citizen engagement process and create a community of practice.

She said her organization was established to share experience and learning and to promote evidence-based approaches to enhance participatory governance. According to her, the MWANANCHI programme promotes local governance issues to strengthen citizens’ voices and improve governance and accountability in Africa. The programme, she added, works in various countries such as Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Southern Sudan, Uganda and Zambia.

The project is being funded by the UK Department for International Development.

DSL national coordinator, Alhaji Mohamed Warisay, said they faced a lot of challenges when taking MPs to visit and talk to one another.

Chairman of the ceremony was senior lecturer at the Political Science Department, Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone Charles Sylva.

Other speakers included Hon. Tamba Sam of Constituency 03 in the Kailahun district and Hon. Elizabeth Alpha Lavalie.

Over 500 participants from all over the country attended the dialogue meeting.

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