Re-engineering the economy a shared task
We agree with the caution raised by Malawi’s major donors for the new administration to ensure more effectiveness in use and accounting of public resources than is the case now.
The caution comes in the shadows of the previous administration which earned this country a bad reputation in economic as well as overall governance.
While the present regime has obviously taken some steps, leading to a clean-up and resumption of donor support which was frozen or cut off altogether, it would seem a lot more needs to be done to curb the ripples of the past.
This, indeed, is the general expectation of all and sundry, especially having gone through the excruciating effects of fuel, forex or drug shortages and State maladministration not long ago.
Therefore, how the leakages and lapses are addressed is indeed a matter of national concern. How the new controls and measures cited by government last week to curb the abuse and wastage will work is obviously of interest to all.
What we see as a fundamental is to move with speed, because it takes time for some people and public sector agents to realise that ‘the game’ has changed, there are new brooms in Capital Hill and the country’s donor and technical partners are looking at Malawi with fresh, more critical glasses than was possibly the case before.
The new principles, rationale and proposed interventions must also be shared by all, so that the building and reconstruction process becomes a national task.
Otherwise, the leakages and weaknesses spotted so far may continue and discredit us all, not only the People’s Party (PP) government; and Malawi cannot afford that chapter of recklessness again. It was very painful.
