Once upon Chakwera

On Thursday this week, Malawi's leader, Dr Lazarus Chakwera and his right hand man, Dr Saulos Chilima, made promising news to Malawians; particularly those working in the civil service as they paid a sudden visit to the Department of Human Resources Management and Development (DHRMD) offices at the Capital Hill demanding nothing short of a comprehensive explanation on why August salaries delayed to land in the pockets of those deserving it.

Reports have it that the Head of State bombarded the senior officers working in the said department with some hard questions around the perpetual delay of the monthly payments and later demanded to have an audience with them the following day so as to understand the nitty gritty around the seemingly deliberately constructed hitch of salary delay.

The approach Chakwera used in this scenario was a very smart and proactive one which nobody expected.

It was a game changer which sent a strong message not only to the said department, but to many other public offices which will now wake up from their slumber and begin to go to work to do the job they applied for.

You see, it is said everywhere you go that Malawians are hardworking people.

Now why should such hard workers be deprived of their hard earned motivation? It does not make any logical sense.

It is my educated guess that the Vice President Dr Chilima and Secretary to President and Cabinet, Zanga-Zanga Chikhosi decided to flank Chakwera during the actionable visit just to speak about the public sector reforms which now seem to shelved book waiting for God knows when.

Its shocking to see officers in some government offices playing bawo as early as they come to work.

It is as if they report for bawo duties and yet there have heaps and heaps of unattended files in the office awaiting their attention.

However, they intentionally go the opposite direction just to frustrate and retard the development of the country through such laziness.

A salary is a big motivation to any worker and when it is received on time, it effectively serves one's budget; but when it happens to arrive late as is the case with Malawian civil service payments, there is lot that such a delay causes.

As matter of reminder, since April this year, teachers, who are some of the least paid civil servants in the country, have been receiving deducted salaries and reasons for such deductions were so incoherent.

Salaries of civil servants (not only teachers) are already so meagre that they do not adequately take them through the 30 day cycle, and yet they are paid late.

What this means is that such technical malaise throws them into avoidable debts which haunt and stress them all the times because this demon of delayed salaries in the civil service seems to refuse be exorcised.

Mr. President, please, continue and maintain the precedence well set if you really mean clearing the rubble.

That is the genesis of the servant leadership you used to preach during the campaign period.

The civil service you found needs this kind of leadership if things are to change for better.

Viva Malawi!