Ben Phiri Back at Capital Hill: “Time for Honeymoon is Over”
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Dr. Ben Phiri, has officially resumed his ministerial duties with a firm call for action and accountability across his ministry.
Dr. Phiri reported for duty at 7:30 a.m. today, November 3, 2025, at Capital Hill in Lilongwe, marking his formal return to government work following his reappointment under President Arthur Peter Mutharika’s new administration.
His first assignment was a strategic meeting with the Principal Secretary and Directors within the ministry, where discussions focused on restructuring and strengthening operations to align with President Mutharika’s renewed vision of building a new Malawi.
Speaking after the meeting, Dr. Phiri underscored the need for dedication and urgency among public officers, warning that the days of complacency are over.
“The time for honeymoon is over. We must roll up our sleeves and get to work. Malawians are watching and expecting results, not excuses,” he said.
He added that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development plays a critical role in transforming communities, particularly in driving decentralization, infrastructure development, and rural empowerment—key pillars of the administration’s broader development agenda.
Dr. Phiri reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to revamping service delivery, enhancing local governance structures, and strengthening collaboration with local councils to ensure development reaches every corner of the country.
“Our goal is simple—to make government felt where people live. Every district, every community must see and feel the change,” he emphasized.
Phiri’s return to office comes at a time when the government is under pressure to deliver quick, visible progress on promises of economic recovery, improved governance, and inclusive development.
Observers say his early-morning resumption and tone of urgency set the stage for a results-driven leadership style, reflecting the broader expectations of President Mutharika’s administration.
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Hon. Phiri, we thank God for everything. Known you as a result oriented colleague. All best of luck
Dr Phiri , the facts are heard from you, however we need delivery.
More wisdom,focus should be more on partnering with people living in local areas to build infrastructures like roads and water ways, in some countries the people sometimes provides materials and government support with machineries to build water ways and roads in their locality, I think if you can adopt same strategy, there will be visible development everywhere.
We need results not words only
I am very sure that, the beginning is always like that. It sounds great. The issue is, Malawi leaders lacks true actions in every day. They don’t work on finding the problem. They only come with solutions without problem set. They also don’t deal with SMART aspects.