Tell Mumba to slow down, fix the broken ministry first

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Mumba Malawi

Vitumbiko Mumba has stirred up the usual excitable and they are now everywhere trying to prove to us that the only thing standing between Malawi and gaining that tag of first world country is his leadership, or something of that style.

After his antics in Jamaica, the Malawi Minister of Labor has launched a crusade against foreign-owned companies, claiming to sweep away anomalies and set things straight. Should we get carried away? No Sir!

We’ve seen this performance before. When Malawi Vice President Michael Usi was Minister of Tourism, this was his modus operandi – every so often, Golden Peacock Hotel and a few other establishments would face public humiliation during inspections. Then he continued on that as a Vice President, humiliating a hardworking nurse in Chikwawa. That was before Usi recognised his real calling as Malawi’s second in command: bawo and dancing in markets.

Necessary as inspections are, these matters should be handled systematically at the departmental level, not as publicity stunts. However, what we see in this country are just the stunts. Getting cameras, shout at a few people here and there, excite the excitables before everything disintegrates again.

This isn’t duty; it’s a leadership style aimed at impressing the impressionable. It’s about being seen to be working. The memories are still fresh of the moment Usi became Vice President, he started making selective surprise visits to government institutions; grandstanding for the cameras while sidestepping critical sectors like the Department of Immigration and the Road Traffic, that were making headlines everyday for ineffectiveness.

It appears to be the modus operandi for Malawi Congress Party (MCP). One can also see our current Minister of Tourism doing the same: grandstanding for the cameras while ignoring everything of value. She has made herself the face of tourism in Malawi, organizing city events and foreign trips to be in the spotlight, all while Michiru Forest Reserve and other vital tourist sites are left to wither.

The point is, as the head of a ministry, there’s no need to prove yourself by theatrics. If you want to wield authority, start with the entity you control—your ministry. Systems are already in place to handle inspections and oversight. If those systems are broken, fix them to be effective. Otherwise, how many companies can one realistically inspect on camera, and where are the funds to carter for such an entourage?

These routine inspections should not be celebrated. They should be seen for what they are, which is that they are an indictment of the system. Any responsible head of the ministry should start by sweeping through that before pouncing on abusive companies.

Of course, another reason these companies feel that they can abuse Malawians is because they see how the Malawi government treats its own citizens. A country with no forex, no fuel, no passports, no driving licences, no food and a judiciary that is for sale, how can any foreign ‘investor’ take it serious?