After weeks of tense negotiations, the Government Negotiating Team (GNT) and the Civil Servants Trade Union (CSTU) have agreed a 20 percent salary increase for civil servants, effective April 1 2026.
CSTU president Lameck Magawa confirmed the deal in an interview yesterday, saying the unions signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday alongside the Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM).
“We proposed a 30 percent increase. After negotiations we considered other realities. We would have loved to get 30 percent right away. We cannot say we are satisfied, but we have accepted the agreement,” Magawa said.
He added that talks will continue on transport and special allowances intended to cushion civil servants from the rising cost of living, and expressed hope for a breakthrough.
The talks were chaired by Bright Kumwembwe, with Magawa as co-chairperson.
TUM was represented by its secretary general Charles Kumchenga, who confirmed the union had also signed the MoU.
percent increase. I Nation
“We settled for 20 percent after lengthy discussions,” Kumchenga said.
Under the agreement, salary adjustments will be staggered by grade:
Grades R to L: 20 percent
Grades K to J: 18 percent
Grades I to H: 16 percent
Grade G: 15 percent
Grade F: 13 percent
Grade E: 12 percent
Grades D to C: 11 percent
Grades B to A: 10 percent
Leave grants have been set at 25 percent across the board.
Principal Secretary for Human Resource Management and Development Hillary Chimota confirmed that negotiations had been taking place, but declined to give details, saying the unions had communicated what was agreed.
The pay review comes after Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Joseph Mwanamvekha indicated during the 2026/2027 budget presentation that government would implement a salary increment and review the minimum wage.
He did not specify percentages at the time, saying the negotiating team would announce once consensus is reached.
Civil servants last received a 20 percent raise in April 2025 while the minimum wage was last adjusted in June 2025 and currently stands at K126 000 per month for formal sector employees and K72 800 for domestic workers.
In the K10.9 trillion 2026/2027 National Budget, wages and salaries are projected at K1.923 trillion, up from the revised K1.631 trillion in 2025/2026.
The K288 billion increase covers existing personnel, salary adjustments and priority recruitment in key sectors.
