With the spread of democracy in Africa in the 1990s, citizens appreciate how the three arms of the government function separately. From the 1960, the continent was under dictatorships. The Executive was planning and approving policies seldom debated in Parliament. Now, the Legislature plays a critical role in debating and enacting laws to strengthen democracy.…
Chimwemwe Salie Hara
On national plans and development
In 1998, the Government of Malawi came up with a long-term development framework that aimed at addressing issues pertaining to poverty by the year 2020 called Vision 2020. Its mission statement asserts that, by the year 2020, Malawi as a nation will be secure, democratically mature, environmentally sustainable and self-reliant with equal opportunities for and…
Unemployment and entrepreneurship (2)
There are several prerequisites for successful youth entrepreneurship. The first one is enterprise education. This is vital because there are market failures present and young people have not developed the necessary knowledge, skills or abilities to make judgements about the desirability and feasibility of entrepreneurship. The aims of enterprise education are to make young…
Unemployment and entrepreneurship (I)
Unemployment is not unique to Malawi. It is not only a problem that many economies are grappling with. It is a widespread challenge that every responsible government endeavours to address. Nevertheless, it is an enormous challenge in developing countries—and it has devastating social, economic, political and psychological consequences. The higher the unemployment rate in an…
Childhood play matters
Play is often talked as if it were relief from serious learning. But for all children, it is really the work of childhood-an essential part of their development. Play starts in the child’s infancy and continues for a lifetime. Through plays, children learn to socialise, to think, to solve problems, to mature and to…
Africa’s own leadership lessons
The winning of the Mo Ibrahim African Leadership Award by former Namibian president Hifikepunye Pohamba is certainly one of the many important events that may have happened in Africa in the year 2015. Its significance was that Pohamba won the award after it had eluded the continent on four successive occasions. The fact that…
On developmental policies
Developmental policies include any measure, policy or programme aimed at improving the growth and competitiveness of large sectors of the economy (manufacturing, agriculture); specific sectors (textiles, automobile industry, software production, etc.); or the growth of certain key activities (research and development, exports, fixed capital formation, human capital formation). So designing and implementing effective development policy…
Good governance and development
As Malawians are heading towards the 2014 Tripartite Elections, in which they will vote for a president, member of Parliament and councillors, I thought of writing on issues of good governance and development. When US President Barack Obama visited Ghana in 2009, he said development depends on good governance. Governance refers to essential parts…
On governance and development
As Malawians are registering for 2014 elections, it is time to look at issues of good governance and development. By casting their vote in next year’s elections, Malawians will exercise their right to choose a president, member of Parliament and councillor. But let us not forget what US president Barack Obama said in 2009 when…