Malawi, 49 years down the independence lane, still finds itself highly dependent on donor funding with about 40 percent of the national budget coming from donors.

This status quo has to change,  President Joyce Banda has said.

Banda in her address during the Independence Day celebrations, held at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe yesterday, said over-reliance on donors is a tricky and risky situation as any economic problem in the donor countries will greatly affect Malawi’s economy.

“This is one area that since independence, we haven’t done well. We haven’t helped the private sector much so as to move ourselves from donor dependence,” said Banda.

She added that a vibrant private sector is key to boosting the country’s economy; consequently, reducing over-reliance on donor funding.

This year’s independence celebrations, which started on Friday with a national day of worship, were held under the theme: 2013 Peace, Prosperity and Breakthrough.

“Forty nine years later, Malawians are still poor and many have no access to safe and potable water and women are still dying while giving birth. This cannot go on. We need to stand united as Malawians to end poverty and together we can achieve much more,” said the President.

On the part of education, Banda, while applauding the free-primary education, said the programme started without properly looking into issues such as classroom space and learning materials which haunt many schools in Malawi.

According to Banda, the agricultural sector is doing well, but hinted that although the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) has helped boost food security, most people do not have the capacity to produce enough.

“This is why we want to do a pilot fertiliser programme, where we want to give farm inputs to energetic people through farmers’ clubs. The coupons will continue,” she said.

She, however, said Malawians need to be proud of themselves in areas that they have done well. She cited the freedoms of speech, worship and gathering as some notable positive areas.

“People are able to write whatever they want; insulting the president without the president responding to them,” she said.

Organising   chairperson for the Independence Day Celebrations, Minister of Finance Ken Lipenga, said Malawi has had a lot of breakthroughs this year, citing the Economic Recovery Plan as one of them.

The president conferred 18 eminent Malawians under the Malawi Order of National Achievement.

Chief Justice Anastasia Msosa was awarded for her excellent work during the 1994 multiparty elections and for being the first female chief justice in Malawi.

Late Percy Perry Litete, the author of Mkwatibwi Okhumudwa book and radio personality Smart LikhayaMbewe were also recognised.

Boxer Isaac Chilemba has also been honoured for his international achievements in boxing.