Chief Secretary to the Government Lloyd Muhara has warned civil servants against working as monitors for political parties in the June 23 elections.
Muhara issued the warning in a circular on Saturday in which he claimed that some government workers have been approached by political parties to work for them as monitors.
He said the Public Service Act and the Malawi Public Service Regulations do not allow civil servants to take part in activities that are political in nature.
“I wish to advise all civil servants not to allow political parties to use them as monitors in this coming election. The public service shall always be apolitical to maintain its integrity. Any action contrary to this advice shall attract sterner disciplinary measures to the suspected officers as provided for in the regulations,” said Muhara.
He then advised controlling officers in government ministries and departments to report any misconduct.
The warning follows reports that opposition parties have recruited civil servants as monitors for the Tuesday elections.
In the polls, President Peter Mutharika of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party is facing Lazarus Chakwera of the Tonse Alliance and Peter Kuwani of Mbakuwaku.
Muhara be reasonable don’t be like you’re telling school kids in class, this is straight to the point that no one working in government should be a monitor to opposition parties for this election becoz they’re under you & they will reveal your secret after election. This is what I see in you.
But Hon Justice and chief secretary, are you yourself a chief civil servant? How will you convince other civil servants that you are in practice exemplary in your actions and behaviour? For example which foolish Malawian would believe that your attempts ( which deservedly flopped badly) to send some two fellow judges were not politically motivated? Our actions often speak louder than our words. A lot more people tend to take our actions more seriously than our words. In any case, let’s wait and see how you will be able to carry out your threats against fellow civil servants whose crime will only be to emulate your recent behaviour. Most Malawians are now much smarter than their superiors as you are just about to find out sir, in just under two days from now. Threats minus integrity no longer have the desired impact on the minds of most Malawian, and you’ re about to wake up to a rude awakening to this fact as well Honourable Justice sir. This is the era of a new dawn for Malawi.