Our Leader of Delegation, the Most Venerable and travelled Professor Ms Joyce Befu, MG 66 and Mega-1 has reminded us to remind our national selves that the 2025 election are water under the bridge and now our attention should focus on the immediate, medium term, and long term future. Each one of us. No one is exempt. Let’s work to achieve our national dream.
In past week the Media Council has urged the Mutharika government to reform the MBC. If we read the law governing the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), we don’t see anything that needs reform unless we urge the president to reduce his powers and stop appointing the Board of MBC. The law, as it stands, is very clear on what the MBC should be doing throughout. We don’t even understand why the board and management of MBC are not challenged in court when it deviates. Read Part XIV of the Communications Act, 2016.
The past week also saw the first presidential order forcing MEC, Malawi Housing, Macra to return to Blantyre and Prison Service Headquarters to go back to Zomba. How about Parliament, will it also go back to Zomba?
As to the importance of that we cannot tell. But what we know that anthu wamba expect the PRICES of goods to go down. Goods must be afordable. We should also remind each other that it was Ngwazi Bingu wa Mutharika, of DPP, that decided that the headquarters should of all institutions should go to Lilongwe because, he argued, it is capital of the country. And in the order the president issued, nothing was allocated to Mzuzu if equal distribution of assets is indeed the issue.
However, let not the minor and non-consequasial presidential actions derail us from implementing the Malawi 2063.
Malawians aspire to have a better life, starting yesterday. This is what they said with their votes on September 16. In the medium to long term, they dream that by 2063, Malawi will
lBe an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant industrialized upper middle-income country.
lBe a vibrant knowledge-based economy with a strong and competitive manufacturing industry that is driven by a productive and commercially vibrant agriculture and mining sector.
lHave world-class urban centers and tourism hubs across the country with requisite socio-economic amenities for a high-quality life.
lBe a united, peaceful, patriotic and proud people that believe in their own abilities and are active participants in building their nation.
lHave effective governance systems and institutions with strict adherence to the rule of law.
lHave a high-performing and professional public service.
lHave dynamic and vibrant private sector.
lHave a globally competitive economic infrastructure.
lHave a globally competitive and highly motivated human resource, and
lBe an environmentally sustainable economy.
The Malawi National Commission has divided the Malawi 2063 into 10-year implementation plans, called MIPs. We are currently in MIP-1 which expires 2030.
Malawi’s development rests on the three hearth stones, called pillars: 1) Agricultural development and commercialisation, 2) industrialisation, and 3) urbanisation.
There are also the following seven enablers to facilitate change.
lMindset Change
lEffective Governance Systems and Institutions
- Enhanced Public Sector Performance
- Private Sector Dynamism
- Human Capital Development
- Economic Infrastructure
- Environmental Sustainability
The districts have plans of realising these at district level, at constituency level, and at ward level. They just need funding and leadership with a different mindset.
All journalists, are being urged to focus their questions on how these will be fulfilled. These are the medium and long term demands and aspirations of Malawians. For short term ones, listen to the conversations at funerals, in minibuses, etc.
