On the question of the cashgate, which was institutionalised under the UDF and DPP regimes, President Banda has taken decisive steps to root it out.
While the Banda administration does not want to engage in a blame-game and is focusing on dealing with this unfortunate fiscal crisis as quickly as possible, it is important to appreciate that looters found a friend in the previous administrations, which despite being strongly advised to deal with the weaknesses in the system, it paid a blind eye. This led to the loss of huge amounts of tax-payers and donor money.
In President Banda, thieves have met an uncompromising enemy. When the Banda administration came in and its attention was drawn to these reports, the President summoned the Minister of Finance way before the cash revelations and directed him to come up with a plan for dealing with the pilferage.
President Banda has also demonstrated strong political will and personal commitment not just to fix Ifmis, but also to stamp out fraud and corruption in government once and for all.
Once again, President Banda has demonstrated her toughness as the captain of a ship in stormy waters, setting aside political considerations to launch the most sweeping fight against fraud and re-organisation of Capital Hill in the country’s history, a legacy that — if well nursed —should put her among the greatest leaders of all time.
We are not out of the woods yet, but we surely can see the dark blue sky ahead of us for the first time in decades; hence, we cannot return to the business as usual approach to governing. We have to move forward with the current path.
As the economy gains steam, and President Banda cleans up the rot she found in government, Malawi needs stability at the top. These are stormy times. We cannot let just anyone to blindly take over the ship and ram it into icebergs.
*DISCLAIMER: The Muckraker neither added nor subtracted anything from these thoughts. If any muckraker has burning thoughts to the contrary, by jove, this page is yours for the taking.
