By Ebenezer Scrooge
President Dr Lazarus Chakwera says the first 100 days of Tonse Government have been successful though the gains didn’t come on a silver platter in a project of building a new Malawi.
Chakwera made the remarks at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Monday during a ceremony to mark the first 100 days in office. The President said it was tough like redirecting a ship towards the right direction in turbulent waters.
The Malawi leader told the nation that a number of key deliverables have been met but he was quick to point out that it will take a bit of time to fulfill all promises made during the campaign trail as some need holistic approaches to be realised.
“Our nation has long been a flooding ship sailing in hostile waters and heading in the wrong direction. My first task as captain was to put together a solid team of seasoned sailors to stop the ship from going under and to have it face our desired shore of shared prosperity.
“This ship we call Malawi had been hijacked for years by self enriching pirates so there was great expectation that since the ship is under a new captain meant that we will reach the shore of new jobs, cheap fertilizers , better hospitals and good schools right away,” said the President.
Chakwera says his administration has done the following within the first 100 days:
- Reforming cabinet with a track record of sacrificial service to Malawi.
- Organized countrywide personnel audits.
- Met with stakeholders to hear their views.
- Provided weekly opportunities for Malawians to access their government and hold it accountable.
- Developed key performance indicators for delivery of manifesto promises.
- Appointed new boards for parastatals to deliver public service in professional manner.
- Cleared rubble at state residences, Reserve bank of Malawi, treasury and office of the president and cabinet.
- Reforming and restructuring MBC.
- Established ministry of civic education and national unity
- Ensured public safety by gazetting regulations to prevent spread of COVID-19.
- Engaged in discussions with more than 500 investors.
- Passing budget designed to stimulate growth.
- Secured #COVID19 support.
- Established national Climate change fund to address environmental challenges.
- Developed special economic zones bill to promote exports and market linkages.
- Launched affordable inputs program.
- Lifted PAYE taxation threshold.
- Raised minimum wage.
- Rebranded MEDF to National Economic Empowerment Fund.
- Held bilateral relations with neighbours.
- Communicated developmental priorities to developmental partners.
- Launched first ever National Development Conference.
- Secured funding for urban social cash transfer to cushion 185,000 households against economic shocks.
- Organizing artisanal and small scale miners training into cooperatives
- Engaged operators in telecommunications industry to negotiate reduction of data bundles.
- Increased budget allocation to the ACB.
- Made law enforcement agencies independent of political interference
- Removed PSs and directors whose positions in the civil service were irregular.
- Began negotiations to mobilize resources for construction of judicial headquarters in the capital city.
- Fulfilled constitutional requirement for president to answer questions in parliament.
- Operationalized Access to Information law to increase government transparency.
- Corrected anomalies in the command of the Malawi Defence Force.
- Nominated a new Inspector General of Malawi Police Service.
- Reversed illegal forced retirement of members of the supreme court of appeal including the chief justice.
- Made progress in the development of the National Older Persons Bill to regulate protection of the elderly and dissolved 3098 child marriages.
