Fire anyone resisting reforms—US Ambassador
United States of America (USA) Ambassador Virginia Palmer has advised the Malawi Government to fire anyone in public service resisting public sector reforms.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on her government’s perception on Malawi’s public sector reforms, Palmer said: “If people resist public sector reforms, I would like to see them get fired, that is what needs to happen at this stage… We are at a stage where this is the President’s policy. If you are not on that wagon, you need to get off the wagon. You need to find another job.”
The reforms are being touted as a President Peter Mutharika legacy-shaping blue print to clean up the public service, make it more responsive, accountable and effective to support economic growth and development.
One of the success stories of the programme so far has been the reduction of principal secretaries (PSs) in government from 96 to 20—a move that donors have lauded, but which some people within Capital Hill are unhappy with.
Apart from reducing the number of the controlling officers in ministries, Capital Hill has also put a freeze on hiring of new PSs while letting go those that are retiring – a decision that will see lean government machinery with more savings.
“I am passionate about public sector reforms and I am a big cheer leader for President Mutharika’s programmes… But I think getting public sector reforms right is key to improving Malawi’s investment climate. It is key to making Malawi more prosperous and making the Malawi government more efficient.”
The US envoy said she would like to see more politicians talking about the reforms and more civil servants championing the President’s policy as the only way to make Malawi prosperous.
In its history, Malawi has made a record 80 attempts to reform and revamp the public service to achieve efficiency.
To set the reforms into motion Cabinet ministers and controlling officers of pioneer ministries and government departments signed performance contracts with the President outlining reform areas they would undertake and the period of implementation.
i feel if its away to go for malawi
I, for one, do not think Malawi government needs anyone advising them what to do with its own employees resisting change that it feels will improve service delivery for the grass-root Malawian.
Think of this scenario. If you employed a driver (and probably an assistant) to operate your lorry, what do you do when they refuse to stick to your instructions NOT TO Carry unauthorised goods and passengers (MATOLA) ? Do you wait for someone to tell you (or something nasty to happen) before you get rid of them? No you don’t!
Surely there must have been fundamental basis for the president to institute the Reforms Commission in the first place. Taxpayers money has been spent in the process. Why, then, would the same government tolerate anyone resisting civil service and public sector reforms that have been legitimately been identified by a bona-fide commission .
My suspicion is that those who resist change (or reforms) have got some something to worry about. It could be fear of being exposed once the changes take effect. May be they are incompetent, under qualified, are covering some serious theft or are just bent at upstaging the president (sabotage of his economic policy in order to make him and his government look incompetent). Let us not forget that the so called cashgate has not wholly been uncovered, these may be the people behind all this evil !!!
Now, we have all heard what mzungu has said. Fire those who resist change. Pakupha nyani sayang’ana nkhope Mr President. Get rid of all those attempting to pull you down regardless of their backgrounds. We believe you are capable of achieving meaningful development for our country. But by keeping these anti-change civil servants (who probably parade themselves as your sympathisers), achieving any development will be a tall order.
As a nation, Malawi has been blessed with a huge skills base that is hardly utilised to match even a quarter of its full potential. Surely replacing those who oppose improvement of the public sector CAN NOT be an issue at all. Just turn to all those unemployed professional Malawians roaming our streets desperate to get a job!!!!