Government has revised transport and special allowances for eligible civil servants, a development the Civil Servants Trade Union (CSTU) says reflects progress in the ongoing negotiations on workers’ welfare.
The revision follows months of engagement involving CSTU, the Government Negotiating Team (GNT) and the Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM) after concerns over rising living costs and the erosion of workers’ purchasing power.
Secretary for Human Resource Management and Development Hillary Chimota communicated the revised rates to controlling officers and heads of departments through separate circulars issued on May 27 2026.
In a circular on revised transport allowance rates, Chimota said effective June 1 2026, officers in Grades E to R will be receiving K50 000 per month up from K30 000.
revised rates: Chimota
Another circular states that special allowances for officers in Grades C to I have been increased from K60 000 to K70 000, while those in Grades J to N have been adjusted from K45 000 to K55 000.
The circular further states that special allowances for officers in Grades O to R have been revised from K30 000 to K40 000.
Chimota has since directed controlling officers and heads of departments to ensure the adjustments are implemented within the approved 2026/27 budgetary allocations.
CSTU president Lameck Magawa welcomed the development, saying the revised rates were among the key issues the union had been discussing with government since February this year.
He said the adjustment demonstrated government’s willingness to address employees’ welfare concerns coming barely two months after Capital Hill increased salaries for civil servants.
Magawa said CSTU was pleased that government had responded positively to proposals aimed at cushioning workers against the economic hardships affecting many public servants nationwide.
“We are delighted with the revision of the transport and special allowances which we have been negotiating with government since February, 2026,” he said.
The CSTU president noted that although the revised figures may appear modest, the decision remains significant as it represents tangible progress after nearly two months of waiting.
He said: “Yes, it may seem to be a small figure but we are saying that ‘half a loaf is better than none’.”
According to Magawa, the most important outcome was government’s positive response to concerns raised by workers through established consultation and negotiation mechanisms.
The revisions come barely two months after government awarded civil servants a 20 percent salary increment, effective April 1 2026.
The salary adjustment was implemented as part of efforts to cushion public servants from rising living costs, but unions continued engaging government on transport and special allowances.
GNT, CSTU and TUM signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on April 10 2026, following weeks of tense negotiations.
