The Maravi Post

MZUZU--University of Malawi political scientist Dr. Blessings Chinsinga says Pres Joyce Banda shouldn't have left to attend a summit in Equitorial Guinea in the midst of the civil service fracas.

Chinsinga who came into the limelight some two years ago when he was questioned by police for an example he gave in his political science class which compared the state of Malawi during Pres Bingu wa Mutharika's reign to what was happening in Egypt said in an interview that leaving the country at a time of crisis - the majority of civil servants were  on strike - was the last thing the president should've done.

"No matter how important the summit is, the President should not have left. She is the head of the civil service which is the engine of government and it is unimaginable she flew out at a time nurses, teachers and all other civil servants in other essential services have gone on a full-fledged strike," said Chinsinga.

However, despite the president leaving, civil servants in the country have been given a 61 per cent hike effective January 1 2013.

According to MaraPost sources, the following are the new salaries for civil servants that the Civil Servants Trade Union (CSTU) and government arrived at after negotiations Thursday:

Grade R: From MK18, 000 to MK29, 000 (61 per cent increment)
Grade Q: MK30, 000
Grade P: MK31, 000
Grade 0: MK32, 000
Grade N: MK33, 000
Grade M: MK34, 000
Grade L: MK36, 000
Grade K: MK42, 000
Grade J: MK55, 000
Grade I (newly recruited graduates or PO): MK80, 000
Grade H: MK104, 111
Grade G: MK106, 691
Grade F: MK140, 800
Grade E: MK302, 545
Grade D: MK345, 945
Grade C: MK524, 032
Grade B: MK653, 299
Grade A: MK949, 876

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(c) The Maravi Post 2013

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