First Vice-President Jane Ansah has launched the Public Sector Reforms Information Management System (Psrims), describing it as a turning point in the government’s efforts to modernise operations and strengthen accountability across the public service.
Speaking during the launch in Lilongwe yesterday, she said the digital platform ends years of mostly fragmented manual approaches that have slowed reform implementation and fuelled inefficiencies in ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
“This system ends the old era. It is a decisive step forward in the digitalisation of reforms management and a tool that will help fix our broken systems,” she said.
The Veep noted that weak coordination, poor data management and limited use of digital tools have undermined service delivery for years, adding that Psrims will improve transparency by enabling real-time tracking of reform activities and outcomes.
“For years, citizens have experienced delays, inconsistent service and limited transparency. Psrims is designed to ensure no one is left behind, allowing both government and the public to track progress,” said Ansah.
She stressed that the platform represents more than a technical upgrade, describing it as a cultural shift.
Said Ansah: “We must reform ourselves in order to reform the system. This tool requires commitment and discipline across all MDAs.”
UNDP deputy resident representative Chika Charles Aniekwe, whose organisation supported the initiative, said the platform addresses long-standing gaps that have weakened reform progress and public trust.
“It is a public asset with the potential to significantly accelerate transformation across the public service,” he said, adding that it will strengthen monitoring, support evidence-based decision-making and reduce duplication.
Meanwhile, governance advocate Michael Kaiyatsa has welcomed the system, but warned that Malawi’s track record with digital platforms demands strict adherence to implementation.
“A system is only as good as the commitment behind it. If institutions do not keep it updated or integrate it into daily work, it will quickly become another abandoned tool,” he said.
Kaiyatsa urged government to ensure full public access to reform data to uphold transparency.
Another governance advocate, Moses Mkandawire of the CCAP Livingstonia Synod’s Church and Society, said the digital shift was long overdue, arguing that manual systems had increased corruption risks, delayed decisions and eroded trust.
“The manual operating system increased risks of corruption and often led to decisions being made without tangible evidence,” he said.
Mkandawire said real-time data would improve decision-making, financial and human resource management, decentralisation and service delivery, if the government invests in staff capacity, tools, infrastructure, system security and technical personnel.
He also noted the environmental benefits, saying reduced paper use would support sustainable development.
Government will roll out the platform in phases, accompanied by user training. Authorities say the system is expected to support evidence-based decision-making, minimise duplication and boost accountability as part of the national transformation agenda.
