By Burnett Munthali
Maintenance of public trust includes: transparency; development of protocols and procedures; credibility; pro-activity; putting the public first; collaboration with stakeholders; consistency; education of stakeholders and the public; building your reputation; and keeping your promises.
There is lack of transparency in the manner the current Tonse government is conducting itself. For example, many interested persons are failing to get feedback from several government offices each time they ask for such information despite having in place the access bill. The Minister of Homeland Security, Richard Chimwendo Banda failed to explain in Parliament why Malawi Congress Party (MCP) was sending young men and women to Ntakataka for training when they were not recruited in the Malawi Police Service.
The people of Malawi are looking forward to seeing a transparent government in all its dealings on matters regarding security, and corruption in the cabinet.
The President ought to be relevant to all he is doing in government. Chakwera must provide honest information and answers to questions citizens are asking. He should plan, develop, review, implement his development projects. The Malawi leader must implement his development projects in anticipation of the citizens or public needs.
The President should have the quality of being trusted and believed in but that’s not the case. However, the very public loss of credibility will soon lead to the demise of the Tonse government as a trusted government.
Lazarus Chakwera must be pro active. He must take control of the situation and make early changes, rather than adjusting to situations or waiting for too long for something to happen. Malawians are tired of waiting in speculation. For example, he took too long to appoint the two cabinet ministers in replacement of those who had died almost a year (more than six months).
Chakwera must remember to put the public first in whatever he does. Tonse alliance government has put themselves first instead of the public. Everyone in Tonse government is busy stealing and meeting their own needs. A government of thieves, by thieves, for thieves.
President Chakwera should learn to work jointly on government developments or projects. He should avoid working traitorously with the opposition because he doesn’t have the expertise. The opposition has that experience and he should borrow a leaf.
Tonse government should be consistent with what it decides. Otherwise, we have seen enough of forwards and backwards movements on several decisions. That is lack of consistency.
Opposition are stakeholders in government.
A stakeholder in government is anyone who has an interest in the success of a government or government system. This includes students, opposition and critics. Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are also stakeholders, as is the community as a whole. Chakwera should therefore educate all of us as to what is actually happening in his government.
Chakwera must build his reputation now. He is very quiet, perhaps too quiet to say something on the current situation and there’s no action on the ground except telling people to be patient.
Tonse alliance made many promises during campaign. It’s time to start delivering those promises now. No more speeches. One million jobs, universal fertilizer subsidy, different way of running government affairs, cheap commodities, high standard infra structure, to mention but a few.
For Tonse government to remain relevant to the people of Malawi, Chakwera should keep his promises otherwise the electorates will not understand anything.
The President must come out and play his part on the current challenges. Not only should he be speaking but the President must start working, implementing what needs to be done. The people of Malawi are tired of excuses, all Malawians want is action on the ground and action is needed now, not tomorrow Mr. President.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are those of The author not necessarily of The Maravi Post or Editor