Guest Spot: Sarah Sanyahumbi

After three eventful years during which she has worked with three governments and three presidents, United Kingdom (UK)’s Department for International Development (DfID) head in Malawi Sarah Sanyahumbi is going back to the United Kingdom. She reflects on her time in Malawi and offers advice to the new government and Malawians in this interview with News Analyst Suzgo Khunga.

Q1. What’s your general overview of your time in this country?

I think Malawi has had a tough few years actually for the time I have been here. I came at a time when relations with donors were very strained and our High Commissioner had been expelled and the economy was in very serious trouble. Although relations with ministers at that time were pretty good, relations unfortunately with the President were pretty strained, which made strategic discussions quite difficult.

Of course, the President suddenly died and [president] Joyce Banda was sworn in. I think we kind of came into a period where there was a lot of hope and expectation. I am proud of what we did to help that new government, the economy is in a much better place than three years ago. But then came a period of inaction and all the hopes that we had of reforms didn’t happen. Before long, it was election time which started a full six months before and here we are, we have come full circle again. But the new government is saying all the right things but what is required now is action on Cashgate and putting in place a good public financial management to regain the trust of donors.

Q2. What have been the highlights of your three years in the country as head of DfID?

My government provided support to the Reserve Bank of Malawi at a time forex levels were very low. That had never been done before as DfID. It showed that UK was a responsive and flexible donor. The UK government also provided emergency drugs twice to be delivered to health facilities across Malawi at a time there was a crucial shortage. Of course, now we are equally worried that the UK drugs will only cover Malawi for six to nine months and government needs a plan to ensure they take it up after this period.

We have continued to work at community level, for example, a community resilience programme. That kind of programme is really making a difference at the community level in Malawi. We’ve got nutrition programmes, water and sanitation and family planning programme. We support Banja la Mtsogolo (BLM)clinics that are all over Malawi on family planning. There is a huge amount of work we are doing here that I do strongly believe has really made a difference.

Q3. What solutions have you provided to Malawi to ensure DfID is not always providing drugs when they run out in the country?

Success for us will be when you don’t need us anymore. Unfortunately, that will be fair way away at the moment. I mentioned some of the priorities that government needs to tackle but the role of the donors is very much a supportive role; helping government really drive this through. We provided a lot of support on Cashgate and the forensic audit which you all know about. The report should come out in the next few weeks. But again, there will be a public report but all the details and names will be in the case files. I really hope that the government and investigating authorities use that evidence to the best of their abilities and use it to bring people who stole money from this country to account. If you allow people to get away with that kind of theft, then where is the deterrent for people in the future? The interim report of the forensic audit also contained recommendations on how public finance management can be strengthened, a lot of those are not rocket science: Work through those and make sure there is a strong financial management system in place. On public service reform, we together with the United States Government have provided advice on how government can take this forward.

Q4. Is there any prospect that your successor might take up the dialogue on donor support so that your government resumes funding of budgetary support?

We are working with the government to improve their financial management systems and when we have confidence that our money, as well as Malawians’ money, is going to be spent on its intended purpose, we can start discussions on putting money through government systems again. For this year, we are spending nearly 18 million pounds on drugs and delivery costs for Malawi, that money is not going through government budget but it does mean that the government doesn’t have to pay for those drugs and delivery so that is a de facto contribution to government budget. There are still ways we can help the government even if our funds are not directed through the systems and we are doing that. From my perspective and London’s perspective, we would like to fund government again. We see that is the most effective ways to build the government’s capacity but we have a responsibility to the UK taxpayers and we can only do that if we are 100 percent certain that our funding is safe.

Q5. How will you personally remember Malawi?

I think Malawi has been a rollercoaster, it really has. There have been some highs and some lows; some hopes and some disappointments. I am leaving at a time of hope and I really hope that that is fulfilled and things do get better for Malawi. There is a lot of potential here for things to get better and I hope the opportunities there are to use donor assistance are not wasted. I have had an incredible of time in Malawi and I have learnt a lot.