Governance expert Bwalya Matafwali has criticized the statement made by the Minister of Local Government, who attributed the delays in payments to workers under the cash-for-work program to network failures. Matafwali described this explanation as merely an excuse and justification.

The Minister’s comments followed concerns raised by workers about the delayed payments for their work. In an interview with Komboni Radio news, Matafwali argued that politicians often try to evade accountability by finding reasons to justify their shortcomings.

He emphasized that the government should have addressed potential network issues before implementing the program two months ago. According to Matafwali, if network problems were a concern, cash should have been made available upfront, rather than expecting people to work without immediate compensation.

He also stated that the government needs to adopt a more proactive approach instead of being reactive, as its current handling of the situation has drawn criticism from the public. Matafwali suggested that the government should have anticipated these issues and ensured that funds were accessible in cash form in areas where network problems could arise.