Chilima unpacks Malawi 2063 Vision in Parliament: Govt to table bill to align political parties’ manifestos to MW2063

Vice President Saulos Chilima on Thursday appeared in parliament to answer questions relating to his Ministry of Economic Planning and Development and Public Sector Reforms where he shared the distinctive features that sets apart the new Malawi 2063 vision different from Vision 2020.

The sole question that appeared on order paper – from Mzimba North lawmaker Yeremiah Chihana – demanded the Vice President to explain what policy tools are in MW2063 that contrast with Vision 2020.

However, Chilima took six more supplementary questions.

Unpacking his answers, Chilima started by isolating the question into five policy areas that distinguish the Malawi 2063 from Vision 2020 emphasising that the underlining feature from the two documents is their development philosophy.

“Vision 2020 was conceived to achieve poverty reduction. In contrast, the new Vision [Malawi 2063 ] seeks to achieve sustainable wealth creation with emphasis on transforming our country towards industrialization – and not the non-sustainable poverty reduction strategies that characterized Vision 2020,” explained Chilima.

The country’s second-in-command went on to say that the other differences were the limited number of priority areas unlike Vision 2020 which he said had too many priority areas which spread resources too thinly;  the institutional mechanism for implementation monitoring; the recourse of innovative financing and the need to get political commitment.

“Vision 2020 lacked political buy-in as subsequent administrations paid lip service but effectively set it aside. For MW2063 to succeed, it will be imperative that we all commit to its implementation. That’s why, in the June Session of Parliament, we will be bringing into this house an amendment to the Political Parties Act to ensure alignment of party manifestoes to the MW2063,’’ Chilima said.

MW 2063 Pillars

Chilima further said with regard to the economic drivers of Malawi 2063, there are three inter-linked pillars that will activate Malawi’s vision of   ‘an inclusively wealth and self-reliant nation.

He said the three pillars are adoption of technology to increase Agricultural Productivity and achieve agricultural Commercialization; the quest for wealth creation and thirdly Urbanisation which will be anchored by sustainable provision of municipal services, creation of secondary cities and tourist hubs.

“The pillars will be operationalised by seven enablers which are Environmental Sustainability, Economic Infrastructure, Human Capital Development, Private Sector Dynamism, Enhanced Public Sector Performance, Effective Governance Systems and mindset change,” he said.

After responding to the question and further taking supplementary questions, Chilima urged the lawmakers to find time over lunch hour and read the 64 paged document so that they help in disseminating the contents to their constituents.

Earlier, First Deputy Speaker Madalitso Kazombo sent out Chihana when during his supplementary question brought chaos in the House after he alleged that the Secretary to the President and Cabinet Zangazanga Chikhosi was more powerful than Chilima firing PSs without Chilima knowing yet the Vice President heads the Reforms.

“Elsewhere Public Reforms are championed by the Head of State. Our Vice President, very respectable, is Vice President and not Deputy. He works on delegation. That’s a challenge and crisis. The Secretary to the President and Cabinet reports directly to the President and in effect makes the Vice President ineffective as Vice President. The SPC fires PSs which the Vice President cannot do despite heading the Reforms. This is the crisis I am talking about,” said Chihana degenerating the House into more chaos until he was sent out.

Meanwhile, Chilima highlighted that in agenda 2063, there is innovative financing and that there are 15 priority projects that government wants to embark on.

Among the projects include the Judiciary complex in Lilongwe.

Chilima saidthe complex project is non-negotiable saying other arms of government are based in Lilongwe and the Judiciary complex should also be in Lilongwe.

The other priority area is the construction of Mombera University, the M5 road from Balaka to Nkhata Bay and Rumphi – Nyika- Chitipa road.

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