Reconfigured Cabinet; Have the Ministers received clear deliverables in being warned to deliver or face dismissal?

The new faces in the Cabinet

* When will their first appraisal be? What’s the system for accountability? — Nobody delivers from nothing?

* The President’s 4.5-year record speaks for itself — he has consistently failed to hold his appointees accountable

Analysis by Duncan Mlanjira

When swearing-in new Ministers this morning into the Cabinet which was reconfigured on New Year’s Day, President Lazarus Chakwera issued a stern warning to the new faces, emphasising that their positions are not for leisure but for delivering tangible results.

He added that Malawi is undergoing a painful recovery process and urged the new Ministers to work collaboratively with him in ensuring transparency and effective communication with the public.

“As we straighten these bones that have been bent due to all the things that have deformed the country, I urge you to join me in informing Malawians on what government is doing to change the nation’s economy,” he said.

Chakwera further reminded the Ministers that their appointments come with a responsibility to remain accountable to the people of Malawi and deliver meaningful results.

A very bold stance by the President but begs questions from some schools of thought on like-minded social media group: “Have the Ministers received clear deliverables in being warned to deliver or face dismissal?

“When will their first appraisal be? What’s the system for accountability? — because nobody delivers from nothing.”

“I am in support of these questions,” said another school of thought. “What are their exact key performance indicators (KPI)? I hope they were made public.”

Another commentator observed that these are “mere words and empty promises by the President” and that his four-and-a-half year administration’s “record speaks for itself — he has consistently failed to hold his appointees accountable.

“Meaningful action, particularly the decisive sacking of underperforming or unethical officials, has proven to be beyond his reach. Leadership demands accountability, and without it, trust in his administration has eroded.”

“Too much talk,” another said. “The evidence is in performance. Outputs, outcomes and impact — his tenure will be measured by what he promised vs what he delivered.”

One other commentator observed that “apart from launching this and that project or initiative (and with all due respect), I’m sincerely asking; what has been the specific performance and identifiable impact of the retained ministers? Where can media find the reports to inform the public?

“It depends on who is measuring and reporting. Should we analyse performance by the state of the economy today?”

These questions being asked are what South Africa-based Don Consultancy Group (DCG) Chief Economist, Chifipa Mhango gave answers to the President way back in 2020, which he repeated last year.

He had indicated that back in August 2020, he submitted a document to the failed Tonse Alliance Government —  through the Presidential Advisor on Strategy & Manifesto, Chaima Banda — that compiled a proposed performance management tool.

Entitled ‘Proposed Delivery Scorecard Monitoring and Evaluation Tool for Tonse Alliance Government of Malawi’, Mhango emphasised that its purpose was to formulate a clear strategic delivery plan through a Delivery Scorecard approach.

He indicated that the delivery scorecard was to assist in prioritisation of key deliverables, saying the plan needed to articulate the key deliverables as defined from the Tonse Alliance Manifesto for the June 23, 2020 presidential election.

Thus he indicated that there was “need to ensure alignment and common shared-vision for the Government on key deliverables for the period 2020-2025” and also the need “to set in motion a process of accountability within Government, through cascading of key deliverables”.

“Monthly reporting will, therefore, form a key process in the progress tracking through the proposed delivery scorecard tool,” he had proposed.

His recommendations were that there was “a need to bring in a new working culture within Government — a ‘work to earn’ principle [and that] accountability should be one of the core values to be adopted if we are to deliver on the promises”.

“The Delivery Scorecard approach needs to be adopted across Government and cascaded through to all structures below Principal Secretaries to develop a shared responsibility.

“Road-shows to be conducted through sessions with managerial teams across Ministries to outline the entire concept, supported by Office of Secretary & Cabinet to urgently roll-out the process.”

“That is the approach in the corporate world and for any Government that is serious in delivering on its mandate and manifesto. We have tried to support this Government for free,” said the Chief Economist for the DCG, whose organisation’s motto is: ‘Unlocking African Solutions’.

Mhango had brought back these proposals he made in 2020 after a public statement from Standard Bank Plc Chief Executive, Phillip Madinga, asking President Lazarus Chakwera’s administration in February last year to reinforce an effective performance management system for all Ministries, Departments & Agencies (MDAs).

From the statement that the Standard Bank Chief Executive made last February — asking the President to reinforce an effective performance management system for all MDAs — it seemed to allude that Mhango’s proposals had not been taken on board.

Madinga was responding to the President’s State of Nation Address (SONA) he presented in Parliament in February to mark the launch of the 2024/25 National Budget Session, and he stressed that through the implementation of an accountability framework, the performance of all MDA personnel up to Ministerial level would continuously be assessed publicly.

Standard Bank, as one of the key economic stakeholders and major player in the financial sector in Malawi, leads high-level forums named ‘Growth Conversations’ and ‘Leadership Round Table’, that bring together government, regulatory agencies, donors and private sector to discuss areas of economic policy reform.

At the Business Leadership Round-Table on December 12, 2023, calls were made for some reforms on some areas of economic reforms and in February 2024, Madinga had applauded Government for heeding calls for the urgent reform and implementation in some aspects of the national economy that are considered as critical in helping to catalyze growth and economic recovery.

But somehow, the government system collapsed, that led to serious economic challenges of scarcity of forex and fuel that led to the skyrocketing increase in prices of basic goods.

Perhaps, the Chakwera’s administration can go back and once more study Chief Economist, Chifipa Mhango’s proposed performance management tool he submitted in 2020 to answer the questions;

* Have the new Ministers received clear deliverables when being warned to deliver or face dismissal?

* When will their first appraisal be? What’s the system for accountability? — because nobody delivers from nothing

* What are their exact key performance indicators (KPI)? Have they were made public?

In his address to the nation on New Year’s Day, the President said he decided to reconfigure the Cabinet “in order to bring renewed energy, focus, efficiency, and speed to the services that [the government) provides to [the nation]”.

He pledged that with this reconfigured team, they will work “harder than ever to make [Malawians’] lives better this year and beyond…but as always, for that to happen, [he] will be counting on [the citizenry’s] support every step of the way” — because the Government that he leads is people’s Government.

The new ministers and deputies who took oath of office today are Owen Chomanika (Natural Resources); Ezekiel Ching’oma (Homeland Security); Jessie Kabwira (Higher Education); Joyce Chitsulo (Deputy-Local Government); Benedicto Kaluwa, Deputy-Unity & Culture); Adwell Chambo (Deputy-Agriculture); Peter Dimba (Deputy-Transport & Public Works); Patricia Nangozo Kainga (Deputy-Foreign Affairs); and Noah Chimpeni (Deputy-Health).

The old faces in the configured Cabinet are Vice-President Michael Usi been appointed as Minister of State for Public Service Delivery from his previous post as Minister of Natural Resources & Climate Change.

Ken Zikhale Ng’oma has been given portfolio of Minister of Mining while Jessie Kabwira is in as Minister of Higher Education.

Top portfolios that have been maintained include of Finance & Economic Affairs, held by Simplex Chithyola Banda, Energy (Ibrahim Matola), Agriculture (Sam Kawale), Justice (Titus Mvalo), Foreign Affairs (Nancy Tembo), Health (Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda) and Local Government, Unity & Culture (Richard Chimwendo Banda).

Other Minister that have maintained their posts are Jean Sendeza (Gender); Vera Kamtukule (Tourism); Abida Sidik Mia (Water & Sanitation); Moses Kunkuyu (Information & Digitalisation); Uchizi Mkandawire (Youth & Sports); and Jacob Hara (Transport & Public Works).

Monica Chang’anamuno is for Defence; Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima (Basic & Secondary Education); Deus Gumba (Lands); Eng. Vitumbiko Mumba (Labour).