Chilima cancels Mzuzu reforms meeting amidst Covid-19 threat

Vice President Saulos Chilima has postponed until further notice a meeting on public sector reforms  which was scheduled to take place in Mzuzu this  Monday July 13, 2020 due to the increased threat of coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, his spokesman has said.

Office of the Vice President’s spokesperson, Pilirani Phiri, said in a statement released on Sunday that the meeting which was expected to bring together Heads of Parastatals, Directors of Finance, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Mzuzu City Council and all District Councils in the North, has been cancelled in adherence to new guidelines to fight escalating virus  cases.

Phiri said they are well aware that the Mzuzu meeting would have attracted more participants considering that all Northern Region based district councils, parastatal CEOs and their Directors of Finance were expected to attend.

“The postponement is in line with a Covid-19 situation update released by government,” said Phiri.

He said  owing to the escalation of infections and deaths due to Covid-19, there is need to implement stricter measures to contain the spread of the contagion  in cities, towns, municipalities and communities throughout Malawi.

On Friday the government announced new measures aimed at fighting further spread of the virus pandemic by among others regulating meetings and workshops indicating that only those related to Covid-19 are permissible or those approved by District Commissioners or Chief Executive Officers.

Chilima who is also Minister of Economic Planning and Development and Public Sector Reforms, has already held similar meetings in the Central and Southern Regions where he wants to appreciate the implementation of the reforms.