Peter promises to trim presidential powers
President Peter Mutharika yesterday reiterated that his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration will reduce presidential powers and will not victimise civil servants because of change of government which occurred after the May 20 Tripartite Elections.
In his 71-minute inaugural State of the Nation Address on the opening of the budget meeting of Parliament, Mutharika outlined his party’s vision for the next five years in the areas of governance, macro-economic reforms and social sectors such as health, education, agriculture and gender.
But in a speech described by commentators as offering hope and lacking depth, Mutharika said priority setting of his new government would begin with the reduction of number of ministers, including deputies to 20 as well as reducing budgetary allocation to State residences.
In an attempt to deviate from the governance tactics of the former government, People’s Party (PP) of his predecessor Joyce Banda which changed a large section of the civil service when it came into power in 2012, Mutharika said no civil servant would be victimised because of change of government.
So far, Mutharika has not made intricate changes to the civil service apart from State House and police, which has two new deputy Inspectors General.
On public service appointments, Mutharika said: “The DPP led government will reduce concentration of power in the presidency, especially as it relates to the appointment and removal of heads of governance institutions and parastatals.”
As one way of reducing expenditure, Mutharika has also promised to reduce the number of foreign missions abroad, a policy the PP government started implementing after 2012.
Mutharika also made a tough stance against people suspected of siphoning public resources, promising to prosecute, public officers and private sector individuals involved.
He did not, however, make any reference to an upcoming forensic audit into the mismanagement of public resources which took place between 2005, when DPP was in power, and 2013.
Preliminary results of a similar audit covering six months in 2013 found that K13 billion (US$31 630 170) was lost through various means from government coffers and prosecution of some of the people involved is currently underway.
“There will be no sacred cows and indeed there will be no untouchables,” he said.
On agricultural sector reforms, Mutharika said he would abolish the coupon system of the subsidy programme which his brother late Bingu wa Mutharika introduced in 2005 while introducing a basket of commodities which include cash crops such as cotton and sugar.
In reaction to the President’s maiden State of the Nation Address, German Ambassador Peter Woeste said his government was ready to assist on realistic plans of the government.
United States of America Jeanine Jackson said the new government had a lot of hard choices to make to ensure the efficient use of public resources while mobilising domestic and foreign funding.
