Chilima believes negative attitudes are suppressing the country’s potential to develop

By Yamikani Sabola, MANA & Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express

The country’s Vice-President, Saulos Chilima, has challenged Malawians to positively change their mind-sets in order to achieve meaningful national development, saying negative attitudes are suppressing the country’s potential to develop.

Speaking on Friday evening when he delivered a public lecture on mindset change at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe, Chilima said Malawians should stop looking down upon themselves and start believing in their capabilities.

Delivered under the theme ‘Imperative mind-set change for national development’, Chilima observed that Malawi has capable human resources that can turn around the country’s fortunes and unlock its potential to develop.

“It is possible to build a productive, competitive and resilient nation and change the status qou from poverty to prosperity but we will only be able to do that if we believe it can be done.

“Other countries have done it and we can do it too through persistent efforts,” he said.

He said Malawians should be masters of their own destiny and be forefront in steering the country’s development initiatives in a collective manner, instead of pushing the responsibility to political leaders only.

Touching on the issue of joblessness, Chilima urged reforms in the education system so as to produce entrepreneurs who can create jobs for others.

He pointed out that the current system is largely training students to become job seekers who end up into loafers after graduating.

Chilima also criticised a political culture of engaging opinion leaders, including chiefs, to defend unpopular government decisions and demonise real or perceived political opponents.

“People are paraded on televisions to defend silly things and they get paid for it. They will do that with one regime, after that, they will do it with the next regime under the guise that they work with government of the day.

“We need to deal with these opportunistic tendencies once and for all. Fortunately, we now have a president [Lazarus Chakwera], who cannot tolerate that,” he said.

The public lecture was graced by President Chakwera and other high profile figures that included, among others, Members of Parliament, heads of foreign missions, judges, civil society leaders and the academia.

In his support of of the lecture, President Chakwera congratulated his deputy, saying he brought a fascinating lecture on a subject that needs to happen in this country.

He said mindset change in those who govern will never be enough but must also be accompanied by a radical mindset change in the citizenry.

“The message delivered here is not only timely, but also desperately needed,” he said. “I am, therefore, not only happy to be here at your invitation, Mr. Vice-President, but fully supportive of this initiative as one way of conscientizing the nation about a new way of thinking, without which the task of building a new Malawi cannot be done.

“For this reason, in the Tonse spirit of shared responsibility, I wish to make one observation of my own related to this subject.

“There are some among us who wrongly think it is only politicians like me, the Vice-President, and Cabinet members who need a mindset change, while they themselves as citizens, or development partners, or businesspersons do not.

“Nothing could be farther from the truth. Admittedly, to anyone who has read the daily papers over the past 20 years, it is plain to see that the approach to governing used by public servants is broken and demands a radical mindset change.

“If you scan the social media chatter of the past 20 days, you will see that our priorities as citizens are also broken.”

He observed that the country still needs to seriously take into account gender based violence, to investigate massive corruption in government parastatals and to facilitate a railway project that can move goods to and from the sea.

“We cannot afford to waste our time on social media gossip about cocktails at State House and using that to manufacture storms in a tea cup for the amusement of idle and gullible minds.

“This is a country with serious problems that need serious people. This is a country in serious debt; with 15 million people wallowing in serious poverty; a 25-year history of serious corruption; a 100-year history of serious gender inequality, and in the midst of a 6-month battle against a serious economy-crippling pandemic — [COVID-19].

“What Malawi needs are serious minds who are eager to use their resources and talent to solve the serious problems of our time.

“Our obsession with majoring on minors is proof positive that the Vice-President is right to call on all citizens to do some soul searching and ask: ‘What is it about my mindset that needs to change in order to make Malawi better?’

“In the same vein, we need to not be afraid to challenge each other to change our perspective on any issue that affects all of us. In this new Malawi, no one must be left thinking that they are exempt from scrutiny.”

He went on to say he, the Vice-President, the Cabinet and all leaders are ready to listed in criticized on governance issues and shall put people’s perspective to good use.

“But if we criticize you, don’t suddenly behave like a toddler and throw tantrums because you think we owe you and your high horse special homage.

“Malawi is a free country, and we must each be free to challenge everyone to a mindset change for the common good.

“We all need to challenge each other when necessary and cherish each other when appropriate, for that is the only way for us to move forward together without leaving anyone behind.

“So, Mr. Vice-President, thank you for challenging us tonight. What a blessed nation we will be if we all apply these things to our own lives, our own homes, and our own profession!” he concluded.