Chakwera’s spin doctor defends Blair engagement, says no cost to Malawi taxpayer
State House has dismissed media reports that the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBIGC), which is expected to establish a Delivery Unit to help the government in service delivery, will siphon taxpayer’s money through salaries and other expenditures, saying the government would not spend any money on the service.
Speaking at Sanjika Palace on Monday through the Weekly Brief program, the executive assistant to the President, who is also director of communications at State Residencies, Sean Kampondeni, said that Blair has committed to provide the service at no cost to the Malawian taxpayer.
“These people are here, committed to assist the country, and the President is welcoming of any help, from any experts, who are willing to do so without taking advantage of the Malawian people, and taxpayers money,” said Kampondeni.
He said the institute would assist Chakwera’s office to install a delivery unit to address deficiencies within the government machinery.
Kampondeni said : “There are issues of unprofessionalism, incompetence and people occupying positions they are not qualified for, among others, so one of the things President Chakwera has out on his agenda is to set up delivery unit that diagnoses capacity deficiencies in the State machinery so that his Cabinet, advisers and staff can address the gaps.”
Recent Social Media reports observed that Blair was only coming to Malawi to harvest poor people’s taxes.
The reports further said that per year, Malawi would be spending over MK700 million to pay Blair’s people, and that they would provide them with offices, posh houses as well as expensive cars, all on the heads of taxpayers.
Observed the commentators, President Chakwera has 21 advisors and does not need to engage a foreign organization to help him govern. The Institute had also partnered with former President Joyce Banda’s administration and had failed her, said the reports.
Kampondeni revealed that the Blair team will help President Chakwera achieve two things, namely helping the Tonse Government address capacity deficiencies within the government machinery, and would also help the President, as an incoming chair of SADC with insight on governance issues since Blair institute has had its operations in 16 African countries over the past decade.
Kampondeni further said the Blair institute does not set any agenda for countries but only helps the governments in implementing their agendas.
On the accusation that Blair worked with former president Joyce Banda in 2012, and the looting of money in a scandal that is now known as Cashgate happened while they were in the country and therefore must not be engaged again, Kampondeni revealed that during that time the focus of Blair was to provide a metric of performance at the office of the President and Cabinet which is still used to date.
“They were not involved, nor were they engaged in 2012 in providing any expertise or counsel or advice related to Malawi’s financial system. They did not work with the Ministry of Finance nor did they work with the Treasury and as everybody knows, these are the institutions where the looting took place,” said Kampondeni.
Tony Blair, who is the Executive Chairman of the Institute for Global Change is Former Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
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Just last week, the President in his own words told the World that Malawi’s problems should be sorted by Malawians.
I personally do feel insulted to have a former colonialist’s offspring coming to use his brain on us as we don’t have any.
Please Mr President, spare us this shame, we have our Brains.
Times media yaku South Afrika imaunikila pafupi pafupi kuyambila 2012, zazinyengo ndikubisalila kwa ma jew padziko lapansi.Chenjera ndima western country.Munthu ogwilizana kwbili ndima jew,dziwani ameneyo ndizachabe chabe.
Zomwe akubwelera Tony Blaya,sizomwe azidzaonetsa akupangazo.
Paliza zamseli zomwe akufuna kudzaidzoza MW,zakumidima.
Mwaiwala JB nthawi yomwei,maka kwa inu ozitsata.
Chakwela alimugulu lomweli
Ndipo padziko lapansi ma jew ndiomwe amatsogola ndizakumidima.
Blair ndimu jew
Ngati mwamene lilili banja lachifumu ku UK,koma ambili mmaikomu sadziwa ndipo amadzibisa.Times media yaku South Africa yakhala ikulamulila ndanenazi mu 2012,pafupi pafupi.
This just shows Chakwera can not entrusted his own people and yet Malawi has got a huge reserve of qualified human resource, some even got their qualifications from universities where Blair is coming from. If Chakwera was not aware of how the job he holds is supposed to be managed, why did he choose to run for presidency? So he wants to have on-job training? No wonder there are all these kindergarten blunders abound. In other words he is saying the Public Reforms his vice undertook was a waste of time? Remember APM gave this guy a timeline which he… Read more »
I did watch a replay of that presser. The two spin doctors Sean Kampondeni and Brian Banda came across as suave and debonair, and yet extremely dishonest as well. Asked about how much the delegation that accompanied Chakwera on his recent foreign trips cost the taxpayers and how many folks were in the group, Brian Banda said that the cost was “within the statehouse budget” approved by the parliament, and that for “security reasons” he could not tell us the number of people in the delegation. Bullshit! To start with, the budget allocated to the statehouse has always been deliberately… Read more »
A Sean Kampondeni muwononga nchito ya apongozi anu ndi kumapanga volunteer information kwanu ko. Kunali a Ntaba ( talking computer) defending MCP ndi Kamuzu zinawakanika inu pagona chiani?
It matters less whether he’s not being paid mr Spin Doc, we are saying and you should listen, theres alot of talent right here who can help out in any scenario. What is that Tony has that is lacking and missing in Malawian professionals? We’ve got more than a Million pros in different field of expertise! Do a thorough search, don’t restrict yourself to MCP sympathisers, cast your net wide, they people out there who work with their passion without being partisan.
Zimene akudzapanga Blair zo Chilima sangathe Kodi
So Chilima is in charge of public sector reforms but Blair is coming to work in the presidents office to address gaps that SKC has already started addressing. In terms of people occupying positions they are not qualified for, wasnt there an audit recently commissioned by the Human Resources Department to see who got in through short cuts. Does Tony Blair really have to come and tell us we need to start work at 7:30? The gaps that exist are well known so its funny that we think Tony Blair and team are in a better position to know our… Read more »