Chakwera unpacks new policy shift: Working hours to change, workers to report 8:30am

April 29, 2019 Osman Faiti -Nyasa Times 48 Comments

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera, Sunday went to town with a litany of promises in new policy direction once his party is ushered into power saying, among others, he would construct a state-of-the-art Joyce Banda International Convention Centre in Blantyre and that he would decree that time to start work in both government and private institutions be at 8:30am and not 7:30am.

MCP  rally at Njamba
The team: Joyce Banda, Chakwera and Mia at Njamba rally
MCP and PP supporters click
Joyce Banda conferes with Chakwera’s running mate Sidik Mia
Crowds at Njamba Part for tripple alliance rally addressed by Chakwera

Speaking at Njamba Freedom Park in the commercial capital Blantyre, Chakwera, a pastor-turned-politician claimed he was a Blantyre man who even owned a house in the city, and that he knew the problems of people in the commercial city  inside out.

Standing on a ‘Chakwera Hi 5’  slogan, the MCP presidential hopeful said his administration would strive to provide servant leadership, promise unity, prosperity, rule of law and end corruption.

According to Chakwera, once ushered into power, he would transform Blantyre into an ultra-urban city, and beyond recognition.

He promised to demolish Kamuzu Stadium and replace it with a 6 000 seater international conference centre.

“I will construct a modern convention centre in Blantyre, and it will be named the Joyce Banda International Convention Centre,” promised Chakwera amid clapping and drumming.

“We plan to construct a modern stadium here at Njamba which shall replace the old Kamuzu Stadium,” added Chakwera.

Apparently, Joyce Banda, former head of state and People’s Party (PP) president, has gone into an alliance with MCP and attended the rally where she also drummed up support for Chakwera’s presidential bid.

Another, Banda’s deputy during his two-year rule, Khumbo Kachali, has also joined with his newly formed Freedom Party (FP).

Chakwera also promised that amongst some of the reforms he would institute once he assumes the reins of power would be to restructure the time for which people begin to work.

“I will change the time people begin to work from 7:30 to 8:30. This will be a deliberate move to give you time so that you can drop your children in time and also report to your places of work on time,” again promised Chakwera.

On this, Chakwera reiterated that he would keenly make sure that all people work hard to achieve robust economic results.

He said he would raise the minimum wage to K50 000 so that a majority of Malawians who earn less than K100 000 are not strained.

Commenting on the change of time to start work, social commentator, Dave Namusanya, said:”He should have brought forth a better argument. If the parents drop their kids at 7:30 who will be taking care of them since the teachers will also be reporting for work at 8:30? Who will be taking care for these children in the one hour in between?

“And will knock off time be 2:30pm? Because it means the parents will also have to pick up their kids from school. Chakwera should simply stick to his party’s manifesto and not this,” opined Namusanya.

But  one of the MCP strategists told Nyasa Times that the policy is in line with the party elections manivfesto where it is introducing compusolry education from September 2019.

“The liability to ensure kids go to school for any child under the age of 16 is with the parent… so changing the starting time for a working day for public officers it give them time for parents  to take all their children to school then parents rush to report for work on time,” said the strategist.

“For the staff in frontline services such asa police officers, army officers, teachers, nurses, medical personnel, border control officers an other categories to be determined, will be paid a special anti-social allowances for having a difficult working pattern,” he added.

MCP said this will be a massive policy shift which will be linked to city transport system to be introduced to improve civil servants travel to work.

Productivity monitoring system for civil service performance us also on the cards to ensure that each person delivers on their tasks instead of just spending 8 hours at work.

Nyasa Times has learnt that government offices opening hours in Africa,  workers report at 9am in Egypt, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia at 8:30am and Malawi at 7:30am.

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48 replies on “Chakwera unpacks new policy shift: Working hours to change, workers to report 8:30am”

  1. kkkk A Lily Nsanje Paja munali Ku Ma Reforms …Inu moche Munapanga ndi Kutikwezera Ma Passport ndi ma License basi …Moti muone Magwiridwe Ntchito a Anthu.

  2. A leader is suppose to encourage a hard working spirit osati izi mukukambazi abusa …awuzeni anthu zomwe mukufuna kupanga or kusintha mzikoli not these childish facts

  3. Let Us Pretend To go to Work at 7 30am .Bingu Sanatosekerapo Anthu Ku Capital Hill? Ndi Angati Amatofika Ku Ntchito 730am? If you Watched on Mibawa Talk to Martha …He talked about achieving Efficiency/improving Productivity and People becoming Accountable on What Work they Have Done.Tiyeni Titopitiriza kumafika @ 10 am then cha mma 2pm ndikuzasowa…Prendende to Work….He even Talked about Logging In…

  4. “Loser” oChakwera will continue to lose, in next month’s elections.
    Bankrupt of ideas: to elevate Joisi Banda, a pariah in the South, is plain incomprehensible.
    JB is worse than a spent force here; she is plainly disliked.
    Who really advised oChakwera that JB would add any value to his Party?

  6. This guy is UTTERLY STUPID.FOR A COUNTRY THAT IS NUMBER THREE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, HOW CAN ONE ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE LAZY.THIS GUY HAS NEVER WORKED AND MALAWI WILL BECOME WORSE IF ELECTED.ELECT HIM AT YOUR OWN PERIL.ASK HIM BY HOW MUCH HIS CHURCH GREW WHEN HE WAS INCHARGE

  7. Inde abusa nthawi yabwino iyi, timasowa nthawi yochindana ndi azimunathu, amakhala pachangu kuthamangira ku ntchito, pano ndiye tizichindana nawo pokagona ndi mmawa, kuyimva bwino mbolo, ndikuzizira kukubweraku, ayi muwina abusa, tachinditsanso nyini zija

  8. Point of correction Mr. Osman Faiti! Here in Zambia we report at 07:30 (official time) not 08:30 as learnt by Nyasa Times.

  9. Chakwera addresses the smallest crowd addressed by a presidential candidate. Even Atupele can attract bigger crowds in Kasiya.

  10. Nde mwati muzagumura Kamuzu Stadium kuti muzamangepo Joyce Banda International Cashagate Center, mukuyesa amalawi opusa eti?

  11. What about those working in villages where there is no congestion make policies that suit all not only favouring the people in town. Let’s concentrate in dualiazalization of our city roads to avoid congestion not changing working time.

  12. Uyuyu timvotera mwina mkuzatipasa ma holiday ngati nthawi ya Atcheya. Simply munthuyi mngoononga kwambir

  13. ngati other countries akupanga ndiye sizachilendo and more kwina mpaka 9AM
    .. tiyesele basi, zikakanika tibwereratso mwakale. but lets give a try

  14. Abusa desperate. Joyce Banda Conference Hall which will be 1 km away from DPP’s Chichiri Conference Hall, aiya aiya aiya. The poorest country cutting working hours instead of encouraging people to work hard wake up early so that we can develop, aiya aiya aiya . Koma Chilima akuwanvetsa anthu kuwawa. Obviously, ochakwela othadi maplan, if there was any in the first place. This guy has always been a joke from day one.

  18. This paster is useless…. The Idea of 9:30am for civil servants to start work is ridiculous…. Even in RSA where it is very cold during winter they start working as early as 7:30 am… The problem we have to address in Malawi is poor road networks…and congestion…. Be realistic or else just go back and open a church 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

    1. A Tchuma ndinu abodza, RSA 7:30AM, Which sector, private or public? Chifukwa ngati ili public ife timayamba 9:00am mmakhoti ku RSA kuno. Mwina private not public. Winter is even worce particularly in western province( cape Town)

  19. KUNO KU MALAWI TILI NDI MBULI ZAMBIRI ZOSADZIWA MAU AMULUNGU ANAKUUZANI NDANI KUTI MBUSA SANGACHITE ZANDALE POPEZA NDALE ZIMAFUNIKA ANTHU OOPA MULUNGU KUMENE , ZIMENE ANACHIATA ACHAKWERA NDIYE MAU AMULUNGU ENIENI MUKUFUNA KUTI DZIKO TISIYIRE ZIGAWENGA NDIYE ZIZILAMULIRA DZIKO? PA MAY 21 CHAKWERA AKULAMULIRA . MAIKO ANZATHU NTCHITO AMAYAMBA 9:00 ENA 8:30 KUSAYENDAKU NDIKUMENE KUKUTILANKHULITSA ZOPANDA PAKE

  21. Bulutu uyui. Working hours will not enrich us. And does Joyce deserve that? Kusowa chonena. Cash gate money zikukoma.. kenaka amanga Roy kachale hospital

  22. Is going to work 08:30 solving the problem.I would rather stick to someone who advocates 07:30

    1. because you have a poverty mind. you think working is the only source of income. do other things Opportunist and you will prosper

    1. akulu inu mukuoneka kuti m’mutumo nzeru mulibe, in fact zomwe mukutulusa pakamwa panu nzonyasa zedi. Malawi ali chonchi chifukwa cha mbutuma ngati inu.

      1. kgosi, mbutuma ndiwe ndi abusa akowo omafuna kupita kuntchito 8:30. Ulesi womangodya zolandira ku church akufuna abweretse dziko lonse

  24. Mutiuzenso nthawi yowerukira, length of lunch break. A worker is supposed to work for minimum of 8 hours a day and at least 40 hours a week. Ndiye muwerengetsele bwino zimene mukukambazo. Eish! abale campaign yavuta. A Chakwera pano ayitayira uko manifesto yawo ayambano kubwebweta zinthu zina. Koma Chilima wapeleka phuma kwa ambiri.

  26. You want this country to be a lazy nation. Munakhalako ku UK Achakwera? Ku UK anthu timagwira ntchito ngati akapolo from six to six sikumacha, thats why dziko lawo likutukuka

  28. The argument by Davie Namusanya is the most inappropriate comment one can give. Currently teacher are equally supposed to report at 7.30 but they accommodated those parents who are also supposed to report by 7.30 in their respective work place by they the teachers reporting an hour earlier and shift the same instead of teachers coming at 6, which is the case now, they would now come at 7.30.

  29. Thinking of the 19th century. Please Pastor, learn how the Chinese work. No time to waste. This type of thinking will not move the country forward.

    1. It is not about how many hours one spends at their work place but output. we have been starting work at 7:30 for many many years, do we have anything to show for it as a country? A lot of people spend time lazying around in the offices. In most states in the USA and more other countries start at 9 am look at where they are today.

      What we should be talking about is having a hard working, results oriented spirit otherwise even if we start work at 5:00 am and finish 10:00 pm, with lack of hardworking spirit and no love for this country, we will continue being 3rd poorest country in the world.

      1. The economies of Egypt, RSA and Zambia are better. That is why the people of those countries have the luxury of reporting for work at the said times. In the case of Egypt, the weather may have have been taken into consideration. It is hot there.

  30. The number of children being dropped at schools by parents is very small compared to those who walk. Should the 8.30 policy fail because of this? I am sure some solution will be found.
    People dread and resist change

  31. Government offices opening hours:
    Egypt 9 am
    South Africa 9 am
    Zambia 8.30 am
    Mozambique 9 am
    Kenya 9 am
    Uganda 9 am
    Malawi 7.30 am

    1. Nigerians start working at 8 pm to 12.00 Noon , Lunch 12Noon to 1.00 pm and afternoon hours they start at 1.00pm to 4.00 pm. They only work for 7 HRS in a day and that translates 35 Hrs i a week but still they are better off than Malawi inters of development.

    2. Starts 7.30 gets to work 1200 to read news papers then finish 3kololo or kupita ku dpp msonkhano.

      Malawi needs reform.

      Chakwera has travelled and knows what he is talking about.

      Malawians open your eyes. This is the 21st century. Kumayenda, mkumaphunzila kuti kodi anzathu amati bwanji.

      Rich countries office jobs offices starts 9 to 5.

      They work. People take breaks but the offices still operate.

      They know who is taking break at what time. Not break mpska 1hr.

      30 minutes and everybody takes responsibility.

      Palibe zokhala pa desk mkumasewra pa WhatsApp.

      If we want Malawi to develop we need mindset change.

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