MW poverty worsens amid development policies

Despite two decades of policies aimed at alleviating poverty, more than half of the country’s population remains ensnared in poverty, National Statistical Office (NSO) figures show.

This comes against the backdrop of implementing ambitious plans such as Vision 2020 and the Malawi Poverty Reduction Strategy (MPRS), designed to enhance the lives of Malawians.

The 2023 United Nations Malawi Common Country Analysis Report identifies lack of concrete action, coordination, ineffective oversight  and the politicisation of programmes as reasons for the failure of most policies.

However, Minister of Information and Digitisation Moses Kunkuyu dismissed the issue, arguing that globally, policies either fail or succeed, and Malawi is no exception.

At the launch of Vision 2020 in March 1998, Michael Singano from Traditional Authority Makhuwira in Chikwawa District was hopeful that someday he would lead a better life.

Today, the 65-year-old blind man—who lives with his family in Makhuwira Village, 20 kilometres from Thabwa Roadblock—said his hopes for a better future are shattered.

Singano explained: “When we heard about Vision 2020, we were excited that at some point our lives would change for the better.

“We thought days of prosperity were near, but today, I do not think there is a reason to be hopeful.”

His hope heightened with the launch of MPRS in 2000.

The Vision 2020 and MPRS were intended to elevate Malawi from a low to a middle-income status.

However, this vision remains an illusion as the jobless Singano and his family continues to rely on support from well-wishers and government social cash transfer programmes.

Joyce Masitala, from the same village, shared Singano’s frustration.

“We were told Vision 2020 would change our lives, but nothing has changed. If anything, life has become tough,” she said.

Masitala survives on handouts, which cannot alleviate her poverty.

The Malawi 2063 (MW2063) has succeeded Vision 2020 and has three pillars: agricultural productivity and commercialisation, industrialisation and urbanisation.

The MW2063—like its predecessors—is expected to transform Malawi into a self-reliant nation by 2063.

The stories of Singano and Masitala reflect systematic challenges and struggles of many Malawians let down by poverty reduction policies.

However, a United Nations Malawi Common Country Analysis 2023 Report places blame on policy politicisation, ineffective oversight, lack of accountability mechanisms and coordination among State organs, which are hindered by inadequate funding.

The report states that the politicisation of policies hinders implementation, especially during changes of regimes, as new leaders are often reluctant to continue development programmes left by their predecessors.

The report asserts that the country’s policies look good on paper but yield little or nothing on the ground.

It reads: “The country is rich in policies and strategies; however, the implementation of the various policies and strategies remains weak, primarily due to politicisation, ineffective oversight and accountability mechanisms, and weak coordination, among others.”

The report adds that there is too much rhetoric from politicians on funding policies, which continues to derail the country’s progress.

Governance commentator Mavuto Bamusi agreed that failure to implement policies deepens poverty and inequalities, apart from the loss of development opportunities.

Bamusi said: “Some countries draw lessons from our policies and use them to develop themselves.

“For over 20 years since the development of MPRS Paper in 2000, poverty and inequalities are still deep, wide and severe.”

University of Birmingham Professor of Democracy Nic Cheeseman shared similar sentiments.

He said policy failures result in a high cost of living and lack of public services.

Cheeseman said: “My sense is that there is a lack of focus and organisational capacity required for far-reaching changes.

“One challenge of this is that it enables governments that do not actually want to implement real change, either because it would hurt their ability to retain power or to use State resources for personal gain, to try and escape blame.”

He said the real question is whether citizens see through such subterfuge or go along with it.

Cheeseman further noted that leaders are adept at deflecting responsibility by blaming international conditions or holding prayer days than actually doing their job.

“Whether they get away with it depends on whether citizens and civil society groups demand better,” he addeds.

However, Kunkuyu, who is also the official government spokesperson, argues that policy failures are not unique to Malawi.

He contended that where there are global economic challenges, every sector has the potential to be affected.

“Though Malawi has been affected by global economic shocks, we have implemented many policies, and where few have been affected by a lack of funding due to these global economic shocks, that should not define us as a failure in policy implementation,” he argued.