…calls for reduction of President’s powers resurface
A political analyst in Malawi has cast doubt on the effectiveness of Public Sector Reforms arguing that they have been hampered by unlimited presidential powers in the country.
The analyst, Boniface Dulani, argued that the reforms are likely to hit the wall if presidential powers remain untrimmed.
Dulani explained that too much power for the president to appoint members for the high offices in the public sector is to affect the effectiveness of the reforms.
During his campaign period president Peter Mutharika promised to cut presidential powers once elected as leader of Malawi.
However, he failed to honor his words and he remains the only officer who can appoint and fire any member in high offices of the government.
Some stakeholders have faulted the independence of some institutions arguing that they have been compromised by ruling politicians who lead the government of the day.
Among such institutions that have described to have been interfered by politicians include the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) following what critics have dubbed as biased investigations on cases of corruption in the country.
President Mutharika launched Public Sector Reforms in Malawi as a way of having a professional, efficient and effective civil service.
During the launch of the reforms, Mutharika expressed hope of changing the country as he quoted Albert Einstein in his speech that he do not wish his government “to fall in trap of doing the same things the same way” hence a change in the public sector was what he wants to leave as a legacy.
