Tonse Alliance Government ignored reinforcement strategy of an effective performance management system back in 2020

* The document was formulated by South Africa-based Don Consultancy Group Chief Economist, Chifipa Mhango

* Whose aim was then to populate each deliverables with an action plan and monitor progress

* Don Consultancy Group, whose moto is: ‘Unlocking African Solutions, tries to support Malawi Government for free

By Duncan Mlanjira

Back in August 2020, the Tonse Alliance Government — through the Presidential Advisor on Strategy & Manifesto, Chaima Banda — was provided a document that compiled as a proposed performance management tool which was submitted.

This document was formulated by South Africa-based Don Consultancy Group Chief Economist, Chifipa Mhango, whose aim was then “to populate each deliverables with an action plan and monitor progress”.

After reading a public statement by Standard Bank Plc Chief Executive, Phillip Madinga asking President Lazarus Chakwera’s administration to reinforce an effective performance management system for all Ministries, Departments & Agencies (MDAs), Chifipa shared with Maravi Express and envisaged proposed template for Government to follow which he developed for the Tonse Alliance in August 2020 soon after Chakwera was sworn in.

“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 Don Consultancy Group, whose organisation’s moto is: ‘Unlocking African Solutions’.

In his opening statement, Chifipa said back then in 2020: “If you can’t do it, don’t pledge to do it. Say only what you can do. It’s better for you to have a ‘single sentence’ manifesto which is fulfilled than to have several chapters’ theories about your visions that remain undone!’

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 prioritization 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 Tonse Alliance 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.”

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.”

But has the proposal been taken up? – it doesn’t seem so because Standard Bank Chief Executive seems to allude to it being shelved as is asking the President to reinforce an effective performance management system for all MDAs by implementing an accountability framework where performance of all MDA personnel up to Ministerial level is continuously assessed publicly.

This is in response to the President’s State of Nation Address (SONA) he presented in Parliament on Friday to mark the launch of the 2024/25 National Budget Session.

In the statement, Chief Executive, Phillip Madinga said as one of the key economic stakeholders and major player in the financial sector in Malawi, Standard Bank Plc takes note of “some of the positive steps Government is taking towards economic recovery and putting Malawi on a sustainable growth path”.

Standard Bank leads a high-level forum named ‘Business Leadership Round-Table, that brings together government, regulatory agencies, donors and private sector to discuss areas of economic policy reform and last year funded the Malawi Business Forum hosted in South Africa.

At the Business Leadership Round-Table on December 12, the forum made calls for some reforms on some areas of economic reforms and Madinga has 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.