Malawians’ slowness frustrates Chakwera

President Lazarus Chakwera has expressed frustration with Malawians’ slowness in doing things, saying the culture has pushed the country behind despite gaining independence 60 years ago.

Speaking at the seventh edition of the Dynamic Leaders and Gatekeepers Forum (DLGF) in Lilongwe on Thursday, the President said the culture of slowness is entrenched in the public service where people have no sense of urgency, leading to Malawi’s stagnation as compared to other countries.

Said Chakwera: “Within the gate of governance where I operate, one of the great frustrations and hindrances to lasting change is a culture of slowness that we have accepted across the country, and has infiltrated the public service over the course of the 60 years that we have been self-governing people.

“As a people, we talk at a snail’s pace, work at a snail’s pace and function at a snail’s pace.”

He cited procurement as one area that exemplifies the sloth that has crippled the public service, adding that his administration is working to redesign the system to make it faster. 

The President’s address seemed to be responding to DLGF executive chairperson the Reverend Zacc Kawalala’s presentation in which he attributed Malawi’s stagnation to lack of patriotism that has given birth to corruption, tribalism and extravagance in public resources.

Kawalala, who is also Word Alive Ministries International general overseer, admonished the mentality among Malawians who think holding a position of power is “their time to eat”, calling for patriotism where the common good must come first over individual benefit.

Drawing inspiration from the biblical Nehemiah who led his people in building Jerusalem, he suggested that Malawi’s stagnation is largely due to individuals who consider the country a project for personal enrichment.

Observed Kawalala: “Patriots will not say this is our time to eat. Patriots will say this is our Malawi we must build. We must look at Malawi as a project we all have to work for. To say this is our time is to have a sense of entitlement.”

Commenting on the theme ‘The rising of patriots for change in Malawi: Counting the cost and rebuilding the nation’, he drew the audience to reflection when he said with patriotism Malawi can deal with tribalism, corruption and extravagance in the public service.

“Nehemiah had to forgo personal luxury. We need patriots in Malawi who can forgo luxury for the common good. A patriot must be brave and is likely to be hated. When he succeeds, everyone joins him,” said Kawalala.

Ironically, while the President decried slowness, his administration has in the past four years championed public sector reforms to improve efficiency in the public service.

During the period, the President has promised to deal with undesirable elements within the civil service and fix what he called broken systems. He tasked the late vice-president Saulos Chilima to work on public reforms with the aim of improving efficiency. All these seem to have yielded little with the reform report kept under wraps.

Meanwhile, political analyst Chikondi Chidzanja said Chakwera holds the key to improving the status quo if he decides to choose economic benefits over political convenience.

In an interview, he said the President, to an extent like his predecessors, has been captured by political considerations.