Politicisation of senior positions in the public service through increased recruitment based on political affiliation has left some government agencies paying two people for one position, a scenario that further burden already strained taxpayers.
Following the change of government through the September 16 2025 General Election, there has been mass changes in senior positions in government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
In most cases, chief executive officers or directors general (DGs) of State-owned enterprises hired during the previous Malawi Congress Party administration have either been fired or seconded to public institutions of higher learning to teach while seeing off their running contracts.
Despite the secondment, the CEOs or DGs remain employees of the MDAs or SOEs and are entitled to the same perks and benefits, just like their replacements.
The Nation sources confided that CEOs in the public sector get between K10 million and K20 million per month, including benefits such as fuel and school fees for their children.
Pundits have since decried the politicisation of the public service, noting that paying two people for the same position is not merely a governance slip, but a moral deafness.
Some of the institutions affected include Electricity Generation Company of Malawi (Egenco), Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority (Magla), Blantyre Water Board (BWB), Southern Region Water Board (SRWB), Northern Region Water Board (NRWB), Central Region Water Board (CRWB), National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) and National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma).
integrity. | Nation
Milking the thin cow
In an interview yesterday, economist Dalitso Kubalasa said a struggling economy must learn to walk the talk against wastefulness by counting its coins before they fall through the cracks.
He said: “Every leader approving these parallel payments should pause and ask whose child’s meal and a chance for education have I just spent? In a strained economy, we cannot afford to treat talent like disposable tissue.
“Malawi’s future will not be rescued by grand foreign loans alone; it will have to be diligently built by such small, faithful acts of integrity in our own institutions, without having to be pushed to do what is right.”
Centre for Social Transparency and Accountability executive director Willy Kambwandira said austerities are not just about announcing budget cuts or restricting travels.
He said authorities should eliminate waste, close loopholes and ensure that resources are aligned to institutional needs.
Said Kambwandira: “This development undermines the credibility of public sector reforms and austerity efforts, and shows how politics is frustrating implementation of the reforms.
“The arrangement places a direct and avoidable financial burden on parastatals contracting entities through double salary obligations and hidden wage bill inflation for a single executive function.”
In a separate interview, Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) chairperson Michael Kaiyatsa said even where such arrangements may be legally allowed, the public will still question whether they are necessary, ethical, and in the best interest of taxpayers.
Govt coy
A source within government confided to The Nation yesterday that Treasury was equally concerned with the matter and that a meeting is scheduled for this week, probably tomorrow, to discuss the development.
Chief Secretary to the Government Justin Saidi, who issued a statement outlining austerity measures and signed letters seconding CEOs and DGs, did not respond to The Nation calls yesterday.
On the other hand, Minister of Information and Communications Technology Shadric Namalomba acknowledged receipt of our questionnaire, but had not responded by press time.
In an earlier interview, Treasury spokesperson Williams Banda said as the 2025/26 financial year closed on March 31 2026, government made huge savings from both recurrent and development budget due to expenditure controls through freeze on procurement of high value assets, reduced travel and suspension of non-priority recruitments.
Which way now?
National Advocacy Platform chairperson Benedicto Kondowe said prolonged overlap in salaries, perks and responsibilities may increase financial pressure on already constrained institutions.
He said this creates duplication of costs, affects staff morale, and weakens public trust in governance reforms and accountability systems.
“Government should establish clear and transparent policy and legal frameworks governing secondments, redeployment, and post-tenure arrangements for CEOs and DGs of parastatals,”said Kondowe.
For Kubalasa, fixing this double-CEO ‘scandal’ is not just about saving money, but restoring national character, urging for a generation that chooses truth over convenience, and prudence over patronage.
At Egenco, Engineer William Liabunya replaced Maxon Chitawo now seconded to Mzuzu University (Mzuni) while BWB has Yeremiah Chihana replacing Engineer Robert Hanjahanja now teaching at Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (Mubas), just like Duncan Chambamba who was replaced at SRWB by Gladys Ganda.
CRWB CEO John Makwenda was also seconded to Mubas and replaced by Justin Kathumba while Francis Munthali of NRWB was sent to Mzuni and has been replaced by Julius Chione Mwase. Lilongwe Water Board CEO Sili Mbewe was seconded to Malawi College of Accountancy and his position is now filled by Engineer Dan Chaweza.
NFRA CEO George Macheka has since been deployed to Malawi School of Government (MSG) with Bruce Munthali, his former board chairperson, taking over as CEO. Former Nocma CEO Clement Kanyama and his counterpart at Magla Rachel Mijiga were also sent to MSG. Engineer Emmanuel Matapa replaced Kanyama while Muchanakwaye Mpuluka fitted into Mijiga’s shoes.
In 2020, three senior officers were simultaneously receiving salaries for Army Commanders and two others earning Chief Secretary perks before their contracts run out.
