Chakwera challenges Malawians to take responsibility for transformation agenda: Don’t be spectators
President Lazarus Chakwera has challenged Malawians to assume full and personal responsibility in the agenda to transform the social and economic strata of the country.
Chakwera, who made the remarks at the inaugural National Development Conference in Lilongwe on Thursday, stressed that the journey towards the attainment of Agenda 2063 – a new development vision- requires collective efforts.
“Reaching that goal is a task for all of us, not just the government. In fact, my mission as President is to leverage the government in service to the people so that the citizens themselves have the capacity to build a new Malawi. My mission is to see the government move away from making citizens beggars to making citizens bigger,” he said.
Chakwera said the conference should mark the beginning of the much-desired transformation.
“A gathering like this cannot just focus on the new kind of nation we must build for ourselves. We must also focus on the new kind of citizen we ourselves must be if we are ever going to build such a nation.
“A gathering like this should be like looking in the mirror to take a long hard look at ourselves and denounce all the toxic things we have come to believe about ourselves. A gathering like this is an opportunity for us to reframe the story we tell ourselves about who we are and what we can do. A gathering like this should open our eyes to see that whatever we lack in development as a nation, we lack not because some other nation did not give it to us or because it is beyond our reach, but because we as citizens have not built it,” he stated .
“We already know what kind of nation we must build, for that is what Vision 2020, Vision 2063, the MDGs, and SDGs are there for. That is what the National Planning Commission, which has done excellent work in bringing us together here, is there for. That is what the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development under the watch of our Vice-President is there for. That is what our national policy documents and governing manifestos are there for. What we lack is a national resolve to move these things from our shelves and conference tables and turn them into reality,” he added.
Chakwera further stated that a big part of the problem Malawi faces is that its citizens often see themselves as small and poor; mere mere dreamers instead of being fulfillers of what they dream.
“Too often we see ourselves as mere designers, but the time has come to see ourselves as the makers of what we design. Too often we see ourselves as mere planners, but the time has come to see ourselves as the developers of what we plan. Too often we see ourselves as mere complainers, but the time has come to see ourselves as the fixers of what we gripe about. If we want a new Malawi, we must accept that it is we who must build it with our own resources.
“A new Malawi is not a gift to be received by a check from abroad, but a goal to be reached by a resolve from ourselves,” he said.
NPCorganised a two National Development Conference to see the way forward on industrialisation and urbanisation among others.
The executive director for NPC Thomas Munthali also hinted in his presentation that the country cannot develop if people may continue with the spirit of pulling each other down.
He said NPC conducted national wide consultations and what is emerging is that Malawians yearn for wealth creation through national transformation.
“This may be achieved by moving away from poverty alleviation to wealth creation. This centers on mindset change,” he said.
NPC chairperson Professor Richard Mkandawire said from the consultations, it is clear that the new vision will be youth driven and anchored on wealth creation and self reliance.
He said the conference is aimed at validating emerging development issues and that time has come for Malawians to pitch a path that will be inclusive and people centred.
The new National Transformation 2063 has three key development pillars namely: 1. Agriculture productivity and commercialisation 2. Industrialisation (includes mining) 3. Urbanisation (includes tourism).
The three pillars have seven enablers as follows: 1. Mindset change (Includes a positive value system 2. Effective governance systems (Includes active citizen engagement) 3. Enhanced public sector performance 4. Private sector dynamism 5. Human capital development (Gender sensitive and includes and includes family planning) 6. Economic infrastructure (Includes ICT, transport and energy) 7. Environmental sustainability.
Malawi is expected to begin walking another mile of vision 2063 after the expiry of vision 2020. The second mile will see to it that the country achieves the Malawi Development Goals (MDG’s) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs).
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Your Excellency President Chakwera you have got it the wrong way round. The people do not have to change their mindset, it’s our President and the politicians of this country who gave to change their mindsets. Then the rest of us will follow. Look at Malawi’s leaders since 1994, they have been thieves and looters. So show us that fertiliser contracts, pharmaceuticals contracts etc are not source of stolen wealth for you and your Ministers.
Surely you mean “It is our President and the politicians who have to change their mindsets”
Hear, hear this is so very true. Never read anything some true on this blogs. Bravo Bravo Bright M
Laziness starts from schools and we behave as if we are a cursed nation. Surprising the same Malawians work very hard in South Africa, United Kingdom and America. This is because people there think of production and kutsanzika just for a headache does not exist there otherwise the hours are deducted. You will find Malawians complaining when they are working for the Chinese here. Of course, the working conditions for the Chinese and some Indians are very bad. The wages are just those set by the government.
These are what Mutharika and DPP were doing. He plea was people to change the mindset. He believed these were the pillars he believed. Good idea Mr President, the issue is change of mindset. Malawians cannot reform their mind. Hard working president and Vice, but les fair approach of Malawians.
Although iam Mozambican, but i have my roots in Malawi. So i am happy in the ways the new government is heading the country. Patsoholo Amalawi.
Malawians are behind u dot for thebest off the country
Foseki
Unfortunately some delegates don’t know how to wear a face mask
What Chakwera says now is very different from the Tonse promises of manna from heaven. A sure sign of failure. Wake up Bwana Chakwera because your VP is trying to deliver and will.
We are good at planning when it comes to implementation we are very poor
There is a lazy culture among Malawians. We like reporting late for work. We are people with a very negative mind and we always think of getting rich through crooked and wicked means and that is what we have seen in all regimes since 1994. We take democracy as freedom to break laws. All government systems collapsed through corruption and a laziness culture was instilled in the people and this is what those aspiring for political leadership have been telling people. People think that MPs are there to buy coffins for the dead. Drilling boreholes is seen as development instead… Read more »
There are so many opportunities in Malawi. Looking at our failures on domestic production and heavily dependence on importations of consumables speaks high volumes. Enablement on provision of capital by banks and some finance houses should be a must where legal framework is required from government. Training that should include incubation through foreign professional manufacturers should be part of the legal framework.In the absence of all this support, it will just another wasted time as was the case with vision 2020.