By Linda Kwanjana
Malawi’s leader, Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, has called upon Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to adopt the recently launched National Action Plan on open governance.
Speaking at the Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC) during the launch, Chakwera emphasized that launching the document is one thing, while implementing it is another.
Chakwera expressed his expectation that the MDAs would wholeheartedly embrace the Open Government Partnership (OGP) system. He stated,
“I expect all public institutions to take this OGP membership seriously and join in, as our pursuit of the reform agenda is moving forward without retreat. If you doubt my words, those of you in the media can observe the countries around us and see that Malawi is only the second country in the SADC Region to have an action plan for reforms and accountability that qualifies for OGP membership.”
Furthermore, the President asserted that his ultimate goal is to see Malawi eventually become a Global Center of Excellence in Good Governance. He believes that the OGP membership is a significant step towards achieving this vision.
Chakwera also urged the media operating in Malawi to pay closer attention to details. Referring to a recent headline that questioned his commitment to the reform agenda, he stated, “Last week Monday, one of the dailies’ front page read: ‘Reforms Report Gathers Dust.’ The accompanying article claimed that governance analysts question my commitment to the reforms agenda. Today, we stand here as a direct result of months of work that my office has quietly undertaken to advance my administration’s reform agenda, work that our newspapers seem to have overlooked. It is high time our newspapers understood that just because they were unaware of something happening in the government doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.”
He clarified that the Reforms Report, which he had commissioned and received from the Honourable Vice President, was not intended for public entertainment or futile debates but rather as a reference document for his direct engagements with public institutions and officers who require his guidance on implementing reforms.
Regarding the National Action Plan (NAP) and Open Government Partnership, Chakwera expressed his delight that Malawi is the second country to possess such a working document. He stressed the importance of this initiative in showcasing his administration’s commitment to open governance and the best practices associated with democratic principles.
“Following my directive at last year’s Anti-Corruption Conference, I am pleased to announce that Malawi has reactivated its status as a member of the OGP community,” Chakwera stated. “This is crucial because closely monitoring government performance enhances service delivery to citizens.
Our development blueprint, Malawi Vision 2063, addresses transparency as a fundamental aspect of sustainable and inclusive development.”
