Political corruption in appointments at Capital Hill
Capital Hill has turned into a den of political stooges who are being deployed to manage roles and responsibilities initially meant for professional civil servants. Political patronage appears to have extended a strong grip at the central government and in local councils where individuals loyal to ruling parties are awarded with lucrative jobs and positions.
Sadly, some of these political party sympathizers are taking over roles and responsibilities in which they have little or no knowledge. This is a typical case of undermining meritocracy while professionalism is merely being given lip service. The promise to turn civil service into a bastion of meritocracy seems to be washed under the bridge. Public sector reforms that are intended to improve efficiency in the public service are slowly turning into mere rhetoric. Politics is winning at the expense of professionalism.
The infiltration of political appointees into the public service contravenes the Malawi Public Service Act which emphasizes the need to prioritize meritocracy and depoliticise the civil service and the entire public service. Secondment of political stooges into key positions of the civil service also does not seat well with the Malawi Public Service Regulations (MPSR) which also devotes sections and paragraphs explaining the importance of professionalism in the public service.
Additionally, government also recently issued a Circular banning the employment of people into non-established positions. Clearly, we have a situation where Government is flouting its own rules. This is a sad state of affairs where Government cannot walk the talk and is disinterested to keep its word.
The rules clearly state that all positions at Grade P5/F and below are supposed to be filled through a process managed by the Civil Service Commission (CSC). However, recent developments clearly point to a situation where the CSC appears to be powerless as politically connected persons simply walk into an office and take up positions.
This is a chaotic way of managing the civil service where government positions are distributed as rents in return for political support. The practice represents a maladministration with characteristics of high level political corruption that negatively affects long serving, hardworking and deserving public servants. The tendency also undermines the need for conducting competitive interviews on a system based on merit since mediocrity takes center stage.
The whole process of investing in trainings and financing the education of public servants is rendered meaningless as politics becomes the central determinant even for promotions. Shamefully, hardworking civil servants are turned into idle tools as opportunities for upgrading to higher positions are taken over by troops of political mercenaries that occupy non-existing positions.
Political patronage through appointment of individuals that are loyal to ruling parties pushes away experienced civil servants who are sometimes transferred to ministries, departments and agencies that have no connection with their education and professional expertise. This means that government is engaging in massive wastage of human resources which translates into systematic depletion of human capital development. The process may also lead to frustration on the part of the civil servants some of whom may opt for early retirement or may go elsewhere in search of other jobs.
Effectively, political patronage that is creeping into Capital Hill will have long lasting negative effect on public service delivery. Local councils will operate on demoralised wheels thereby affecting efficiency in implementation of poverty reduction programs and donor financed development projects. Cumulatively, the tendency of political appointments at the expense of experienced civil servants will in the long run hurt the national aspirations enshrined in the Malawi 2063.
Political patronage is a highest form of political corruption. There is an immediate need to demand accountability into this malpractice which is also hurting public sector reforms.
