* His directives on official travel and administrative restructuring are a bold step towards restoring fiscal discipline and strengthening accountability in public service
* President Mutharika’s leadership is sending a powerful signal that government business must be guided by discipline, efficiency, and respect for public resources
By Duncan Mlanjira
President Peter Mutharika has commended by South Africa’s Don Consultancy Group (DCG) Chief Economist, Chifipa Mhango “for the decisive and disciplined manner in which he is constituting his new administration and introducing reforms to improve efficiency and fiscal prudence in government operations”.
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In a press statement from Johannesburg, Mhango described the President’s recent directives on official travel and administrative restructuring as “a bold step towards restoring fiscal discipline and strengthening accountability in public service”.
“President Mutharika’s leadership is sending a powerful signal that government business must be guided by discipline, efficiency, and respect for public resources,” says Mhango.
“His decision to regulate and rationalize official travel demonstrates a deep understanding of the need to safeguard the national budget and ensure that every kwacha spent delivers measurable value to Malawians.”
Mhango, who is DCG’s director of economic research & strategy, noted that “Malawi has, for years, struggled with inefficiencies and excessive public spending linked to unnecessary official trips and overlapping administrative structures”.
Chifipa Mhango
The President’s latest reforms, he said, “represent a fundamental shift toward results-based governance and that “the new operating measures on travel are not simply cost-cutting mechanisms — they are a declaration of intent”.
“They reflect a leader who is serious about accountability, service delivery, and the prudent use of state resources,” he said while further applauding the President’s deliberate and consultative approach to Cabinet formation, emphasising that merit, integrity, and performance must define the new administration.
“By carefully selecting his team and emphasising competence over political convenience, President Mutharika is laying a solid foundation for a professional and development-oriented government. This is precisely the kind of leadership that builds investor confidence and restores faith among Malawians.”
The Chief Economist believes that the measures that Mutharika has put in place “will help redirect public funds to priority sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, education, and health — key drivers of inclusive growth and poverty reduction”.
“Fiscal discipline at the top sets the tone for the rest of the system. When the Head of State takes a firm stand on accountability, it inspires every public servant to act responsibly. This is a positive cultural shift that Malawi urgently needs.”
He concluded by urging all government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) “to align with the President’s reform agenda and adopt a mindset of responsibility and value creation”.
“President Mutharika’s early steps signal a government that means business. We must all rally behind this renewed vision of discipline, efficiency, and national service,” says Mhango, who had constantly offered economic solutions to the MCP-led administration for the past five years, but fell on deaf ears.
At the swearing-in ceremony of newly constituted Cabinet Ministers at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) on Sunday, President Mutharika called on them to uphold the highest standards of integrity, diligence, and compassion in their service to the nation.
He urged the new Ministers to put the nation’s interests above personal gain and to work collectively towards transforming Malawi into a productive and export-driven economy — while emphasising that their leadership will play pivotal role in steering Malawi’s economic challenges and delivering meaningful development to its citizens.
“I task each one of you to support me in this transformational agenda,” Mutharika said, underscoring government’s commitment to job creation and the generation of forex — while reiterating his warning against any form of misconduct or abuse of office, making it clear that such behavior would not be tolerated.
He also reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to transparency and accountability, ensuring that public resources are utilized for their intended purpose.
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