Veep builds momentum on projects, reforms
Vice-President Saulos Chilima will assess some public projects nationwide to identify those to be prioritised for funding.
In an interview yesterday, Office of the Vice-President spokesperson Pilirani Phiri said the Vice-President’s tour will start this Sunday in the Northern Region before heading to the Eastern and Southern regions.
He said: “The VP will also combine the tour with reforms work by engaging district councils on the progress they are making aimed at empowering themselves both financially and administratively for efficient, effective and professional service delivery.”
Phiri said Chilima will start his assignments with a tour of the Jenda- Edingeni-Engalaweni- Manyamula-Mzimba Road before proceeding to M’Mbelwa District Council headquarters where construction of Mzimba district commissioner’s office is in progress.
During the tour in the Northern Region, the Vice-President will also visit Karonga, Rumphi and Nkhata Bay where, among others, he will inspect the Njakwa-Livingstonia Road, Rumphi-Nyika- Chitipa Road, Karonga Town Water Supply Project and rehabilitation of Mzuzu University.
In the Eastern Region, Chilima will inspect construction of Machinga Secondary School, Domasi Community Hospital and rehabilitation of Chancellor College—a constituent college of the University of Malawi— and Malawi Defence Force’s Cobbe Barracks in Zomba.
When Chilima embarked on the inspection
exercise last year, he told journalists that there are 335 public projects under implementation; hence, the need to have first-hand information to determine prioritisation.
The Vice-President, who is also Minister of Economic Planning and Development; and Public Sector Reforms, yesterday wound up his first quarter engagements with parastatals on progress of reforms being implemented.
He is expected to embark on the tour as his 14-member task force on the public service systems review on procurement, allowances and employment contracts, remains with 45 days to submit its report to President Lazarus Chakwera.
In a separate interview, Human Rights Defenders Coalition chairperson Gift Trapence said the recommendation report by the Chilima-led task force will either make or break the VP.
He said: “The Vice- President knows the trust and goodwill that he has from Malawians; hence, HRDC together with Malawians are waiting for the report.”
In an earlier interview, politician – cum – commentator Humphrey Mvula, described the team as one that brings hope and that they will deliver as Chilima is seen to be “action-oriented”.
Whe n Cha kwe r a delegated the role of the public system review to Chilima in February, he said there is no government ministry, department or agency where the culture of impunity for waste, misappropriation and theft is not entrenched; hence the whole system is corrupt and needs cleaning.
