LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawians on June 23, 2020, entrusted Tonse administration under President Lazarus Chakwera and Saulos Chilima with power to govern the nation to the next five years.
With this power vested into the two, Malawians expect nothing more than total social-economic transformation regardless of political, tribe and regional attributes towards governing the nation.
The Tonse administered is however trapped into political, regional, nepotistic appointments and appeasement in running affairs of the state.
No wonder despite excellent performance among some civil servants in various government agencies, are being booted out or sacked because are deemed to belong to a particular tribe, region and political party.
Therefore, December 31, 2020, the Chakwera’s Tonse administration has clocked 186 days (six months) in office.
The Maravi Post as a credible media house has an obligation to assess Chakwera Tonse administration performance without fear or favour.
This assessment is based on promises made prior to June 23 presidential elections against what has been achieve coupled with hopes and inspiration Malawians had for the new leadership.
The Maravi Post editorial team had thorough consultations with readers on Chakwera Tonse administration performance.
The assessment has different views from the team with the conclusion that Chakwera is yet to fully inspire the nation with tangible ground work not lip services.
“As to Chakwera I give him 50% for fulfilling his ambitions of being President. He is a fast learner so I expect he will do much better next year when he fires all his cronies like he did MCP long time members who would have challenged his leadership,” says Mr Elwin Mandowa, Maravi Post Managing (Editor) Director and Publisher.
Lloyd M’bwana, Maravi Post Country Manager (Editor) chipped in, “I give Chakwera 40% looking at the time was given the mandate to govern Malawi. Although many of his promises haven’t been tried in the past six months he still have more four years to achieve”.
“Chakwera Tonse administration deserves 25%. One month is enough for a leader to inspire hope but this Tonse Alliance has started on slow pace and drawning from the perspective of servant leadership,” added Maneno Chimulala, Maravi Post Sub-Editor.
Angela Semu, Maravi Post Senior International and Investigative desk Reporter echoed, “I will give the leadership 12%. We’re mapping their campaign promises with what’s been done so far. Clearly it’s only 6 months out of 5 years but the beginning is always crucial and so far honestly we’re giving them benefit of a doubt while figuring out what’s next…Hope they’ll deliver, so far, nothing apart from the necessary arrests”.
“I put Chakwera at 25%, considering how he blotted his cabinet, how his leadership has failed on job creation as he is busy reinstating retired servants at the expense of equally capable technocrats within the civil service; how his administration is applying selective justice in pursuing corrupt cases and how is taking too much time to shed off some of the executive powers. All these are in line with his campaign manifesto which was a full book of unrealistic promises based political gimmick!” scores Richard Kayenda, Maravi Post National (local) news Analysis reporter.
Therefore based on the entire Maravi Post editorial team assessment, Chakwera Tonse administration scores 38%.
Below are both achievements and failures:
Notable Chakwera’s Tonse administration achievements:
1. Embarked on improving education standards: President Chakwera has embarked on improved education standards. For instance recently he held a fundraising dinner with business community of this country at Sanjika Palace which managed to raise over MK1 billion as seed money to have high class secondary schools built in all districts totalling to 35 in number. These are schools that will add a great value to our education system and standards. It was in the promises that Chakwera will improve the education which has gone down for years now. If this might be seen as not enough, Chakwera and his administration has also made it sure that the following projects under education are fast tracked:
i. Construction of Teachers Training Colleges for primary school teachers in Rumphi, Mchinji and Chikwawa.
ii. Construction of science laboratories and Libraries in 29 sites across the country.
iii. Construction of a modern Mzuzu University Library which has been a nightmare for many years now.
iv. Expansion and Rehabilitation of two Lecture Theaters, two Library floors and Refurbishment of a 20 special needs resource center at Chancellor College.
v. Constitution of Teaching Complex and Administration Block for Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR).
2. President Chakwera wants to eradicate malnutrition in Malawi: To make sure this happens he has recruited 76 Nutritionists across the country who will lead in efforts of eradicating all forms of malnutrition.
3. The launch of National Clean-up project: Realising that the health nation is the one living in clean environment, president Chakwera has launched a National Clean-up day to be observed on every Friday in the second week of the month. This is to make sure that the country becomes clean and smart to the attraction of foreign visitors as well as the owners (Malawians).
4. Changing policies regarding Government bank accounts: Having noted that numerous bank accounts held by the government are causing difficulties in managing them, and tracing the precision government cash position at any given point in time, president Lazarus Chakwera has changed the banking system to allow treasury only one account that will provide a consolidated cash position with a clear overview of all cash flows in and out of the accounts. President Chakwera wants to assure transparency and accountability to take course at every level.
5. Has increased the Constituency Development Fund (CDF): CDF has been increased from K30 million to MK40 million per year to ensure there are more developments taking place in all the current 193 constituencies across the country. President Chakwera is serious in making sure the country is fully developed.
Within the 186 days of office president Lazarus Chakwera has gone in the process of strengthening accounting, budgeting, revenue and expenditure management, internal controls, and other areas of public finance by completing the review of the Public Finance Management Act of 2003 during the 2020/2021 fiscal year. This administration of president Chakwera has noted that strong internal controls and public finance management are keys to prudent use of public finances.
6. Making peace with former President Peter Mutharika by visiting him at a retirement home in the lakeshore district of Mangochi.
Some of notable broken hopes (failures) of Chackwera’s Tonse leadership
1. Neptistim, regionalism and tribalism public officers’ appointment including cabinet appointment (Family man)
2. Chakwera failed to fulfill his promise of giving us a report of expenses spent during his inauguration ceremony
3. Few women appointed as board of directors and his failure on Cross roads hotel gate
4. No three meals a day yet. We will only eat three meals a day when we harvest our crops next year while we are hungry now
5. Unprocedural appointment of acting commissioner general of MRA
6. No driving licences that don’t expire
7. No free water connection
8. No free electricity connection yet
9. Untimely high fuel hike
10. Bloated prices for renovating state house
11. Duplication of positions of advisers to the president when line ministers can do the same
12. Hiring of Tony Blair to slide the country back to colonialism.
13. Rampant tribalism, cronyism and regionalism in public appointments
14. Ministers such as Mia and Chilima inspect same projects wasting Government resources
15. No duty free week
16. Appeasement policy in public appointments
17. Brian Banda, Presidential Press Secretary, answering questions on behalf of the president on matters of national interest. People did not vote for Brian Banda and Malawians should not be taken for granted
18. Rampant cases of rape, defilement and suicide
19. No one million jobs yet
20. Retired people recalled from retirement when the youth are languishing jobless
21. Some ministers and those surrounding Chakwera have accumulated a lot of wealth all of a sudden.
22. Norman Chisale (former President Mutharika body guard was detained without trial within the prescribed period of time
23. Linda Kunje and Jean Mathanga (Malawi Electoral Commission Commissioners) who managed 23 June Elections that ushered Chakwera and Chilima into power have not been given employment letters up to date
24. Chakwera spends more time inspecting small projects that could have been monitored by line ministers thereby spending unnecessary expenditure
24. Manifesto change, from universal subsidy to 4.2 million beneficiaries
25. The elderly are not receiving their stipend as promised
26. People with small offences have not been released as promised
27. There was no amnesty period for thieves to surrender whatever they stole contrary to what Tonse Alliance government promised
28. Mismanagement of affordable input subsidy program such as beneficiaries were forced to pay something in order to buy farm inputs
29. AIP contracts to deliver farm inputs were given to incompetent suppliers who are Tonse Alliance diehards
30. Vulnerable women sleeping out on empty stomach queuing for cheap fertilizer and some being sexually assaulted in the process
31. No cheap passports yet
32. Mzuzu stayed for over three days without electricity
33. High inflation
34. No roadmap on the construction of mega farms in each district
35. No roadmap on the construction of local factories in each district
36. No roadmap on the construction of smart cities
37. Nothing is said about bullet trains that will be commuting between Lilongwe and Blantyre
38. Indecisiveness. It takes time to make decisions. Chakwera does not seem to be in control of issues. Autopilot style of leadership for instance, chakwera has no say on mps double salary hike yet it is the Government that formulates policies.
39. A policeman demoted and transferred to a remote station for just reminding the president to fulfill his promises that police would not line up on the roads when the president is passing. Freedom of speech and expression muzzled. There are also threats by spies on social media for expressing one’s dissenting opinions. That is not democracy.
41. Homeland Security Minister Richard Chimwendo Banda incites people to take the law into their hands when they catch rape suspects. The Constitution which Chimwendo vowed clearly stipulates that a suspect is deemed innocent till proven guilty by a competent court of law. Chakwera did not even comment on this anomaly.
42. No reduction of Presidential powers yet
43. ACB is not independent yet and it is still being controlled by the state
44. No foreign expert has been hired to be director general of ACB contrary to what Chakwera promised
45. Bushiri was denied to conduct his cross overnight prayers at Bingu stadium due to COVID 19 while the funeral service of Bishop Ziyaye was allowed to break such preventive measures. Minibuses have been allowed to have more seating capacity breaking Covid 19 preventive measures. Double standards
46. Leakage of 2020 MSCE exams.
47. Firing of opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters and replacing them withTonse Alliance die-hards
48. Selective justice in apprehending DPP suspects while shielding Tonse Alliance diehards suspects.
49. Raises fear file leadership style. Better we are in power former president Mutharika is in Mangochi (Bola tili mboma. Bola APM ali ku Mangochi). They justify corruption and thievery because DPP was doing the same. But people voted for change. No mindset change.
50. Violation of HI 5 tenets. No unity among Malawians. No servant leadership. No rule of law. Corruption is more rampant than before. No prospering together as the gap between the rich and the poor is further widening.
51. Melding with Malawi Defence Force (MDF) by appointing non qualified personnel but based on tribal, regional lines instead of merit.
Conclusion
President Chakwera must tread carefully with numerous concerns raised in the past six months to win back the trust the nation had in him on June 23, 2020 otherwise the next four years and halve will be a tall order to govern Malawi.
Well, of course Tonse Government promised a lot of things, but those things cannot be fulfilled in just months, as much as our economy is concerned. Step by step is what is needed. We are in economic crisis, those things cannot be fulfilled in less than a year. Let’s wait & give them more time to swallow, I am very much sure it won’t be like this in the next years if we change our Mindset of how we perceive things. Tonse government has also been found the world in crisis as Covid19 is concerned. Many countries have suffered,, & others are suffering because of it. So there in difficult situation. The promises were indeed too much but in those promises some of them will help us in another way round
You know its a good analysis and the Tonse alliance government promised malawians a lot. And it is our concern to think beyond their expectations. Tonse government promised us land of milk and honey, and gave us the land of controversy. The country expected a lot, However, the government of Lazarus Chakwera has emerged in a move to change the country’s mentality.
#Cluelesspresident is what I have said Lazarus Chakwera is. If his ambition matched his performamnce Malawi would have benefited. However he sought the Presidency at all costs with no plan to run the country. Without the Tonse alliance we know he could not have won against Peter Mutharika. However he is very good at using other people to achieve his goals.
For Malawians out of the frying PAN into the fire. Lazarus is not the savior