DPP 2019 manifesto: Broken trust, scores 25% in fulfilling its 2014 manifesto -Analyst
Before any patriotic citizen reads and analyse the the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) 2019 manifesto, it is imperative that they first appreciate the extent to which the party has honoured its 2014 Tripartite elections. This is crucial in as far as predicting as to whether the DPP – if given another mandate- shall fulfil their fresh promises or not.
Indeed, this is part of evaluating the social contract signed by Malawians and the DPP in 2019 Tripartite elections as well as an essential mark of active citizenship.
Assessment of DPP’s implementation of key promises issues in 2014 manifesto
| What they Pledged | Did they honour the pledge? (Commentary) | Score out of 10 | |
| 1. | DPP aims to double exports in the next five years | This has not been achieved. | 0/10 |
| 2. | Food security for all Malawians. Abolish the coupon system and make subsidized fertilizer available for every maize subsistence farmer that needs it. | Not achieved. Food insecurity was the order of the day during the 5 year reign of Mutharika to the extent that the country was forced to buy maize from Zambia in the famous “maize-gate”. The coupon system is intact and subsidized fertiliser has not been made available for every maize subsistence farmer that needs it | 0/10 |
| 3. | Zero Tolerance on Corruption, Bribery, Fraud and Theft of government resources. There shall not be Cashgate scandal under the DPP | Not achieved. The period witnessed the President shielding some members of the cabinet from prosecution on allegations of corruption, and could only act after immense pressure from the Civil Society. Besides, the 5 year reign of Mutharika was characterised by a series of Cashgate related scandals including: the BEAM misuse of money intended for HIV/AIDSs which was popularly known as NACGATE; the K145 million Policegate where a business tycoon after winning a tender deposited K145 million to the DPP account whose sole signatory is Mutharika; the Salima-Lilongwe Water project just to mention a few. Mutharika and the DPP lost the moral campus to drive the anti-corruption crusade during this period | 1/10 |
| 4. | introduce Health Insurance for all public servants | Not achieved | 0/10 |
| 5. | Establishment of a National Security Council | There has not been any establishment of a National Security Council. However, reading the purpose and objectives of the promised National Security Council they seem to find fulfilment in the recently constituted National Planning Commission. If this is the case, then DPP has honoured the promise but what will be critical is as to whether the National Planning Commission will be given the much needed support | 10/10 |
| 6. | The DPP government will Pass and implement the recommendations from the constitutional reviews, including facilitating implementation of revised Section 65 (Crossing the Floor automatically) and bring back the revised Section 64 (recall provision with proper safeguards to prevent abuse) of our constitution. | DPP failed to implement any recommendation from the Constitutional Review of 2006 as ably put in the Law Commission Report on the Constitutional Review 2006/7. Amongst the key recommendations of the Law Commission report was the re-introduction of the Recall Provision Section 64, and the 50%+1 electoral system. Ironically most of these were shot down by the DPP-dominated Parliament. | 0/10 |
| 7. | The DPP government will cooperate and collaborate with the civil society, nongovernmental organisations and the media in the development of Malawi. In this regard, we will pass and implement the Access to Information bill. | The 5 year period of the return of DPP saw a deteriorating relationship between the DPP government and the civil society. The DPP government used “divide-and rule” strategy in order to manipulate the voice of the people. This is the same period when we saw government introducing an amendment Bill to the NGO Act which was aimed at stifling the civil society space. While the DPP government must be commended for the enactment and assent of the Access to Information Bill, its continued delay-dally to operationalise has the potential to reduce the registered gains in this period. | 4/10 |
| 8. | Cabinet: There shall be 20 members in Cabinet, including Deputies, whose appointment will be based on merit, interview and vetting by a Public Appointments Committee. | The DPP must be commended for honouring its promise to have a lean cabinet of 20. However, it must be clearly stated that the selection of members into the cabinet was never by merit, interview or vetting by a Public Appointments Committee. The President retained the absolute powers to appoint members of the cabinet. | 5/10 |
| 9. | The DPP government will reduce concentration of power in the Presidency. | The DPP government miserably failed to reduce the concentration of power in the Presidency particularly in the appointments of ACB Director, MBC Director General and other senior public appointments. Public Affairs Committee’s (PAC) continued reminder of the DPP to honour its promise was greeted by executive arrogance. Even in the yet to be assented amendment to the Corrupt Practices Act, the President will still have much powers to reject the decisions of the interviewing panel. | 1/10 |
| 10. | We will pass and implement a number of laws including: a Law on Handouts, and a Law that will prevent sitting Members of Parliament from benefiting from increasing their own salaries and benefits. | DPP government must be commended for leading in the passing of the Political Parties legislation which outlaws the handouts. However, the Law continues to face obstacles interms of implementation as DPP and other political parties such as UTM, MCP and UDF continue to give handouts. This is besides their continued failure to reveal the source of those who fund them. Furthermore, DPP has not honoured its promise to introduce a Law that would prevent sitting Members of Parliament from benefiting from increasing their own salaries and benefits. | 4/10 |
| 11. | Public Service: There will be re-installed confidence of Malawians in themselves and belief in their government. The DPP will run a professional and results-oriented government, respecting Public Service Rules and Regulations, and ensure accountability. We will cut off unnecessary positions, reorganize the public service and ensure provision of strategic direction under one Principal Secretary in each Ministry | While the DPP government must be commended by introducing Public Sector Reforms which has resulted in a few gains such as those at road traffic and others, the public service continue to be characterised by patronage, clientelism, nepotism and favours. The reward system in the public sector continue to be compromised with those likely to rise in senior position being those that are cronies of the ruling party. There has often been political interference in the discharge of duties by Principal Secretary who have often bowed down to Cabinet or Ministerial pressure in making serious decisions. It would be naïve to conclude that after 5 years of DPP reign the public service is professional and result oriented | 3/10 |
| 12. | Transport: The DPP government will improve transport system in Malawi. Specific to the metropolitan and/or rural areas, the DPP will facilitate the development of Mini-Taxis, which will not only ease transportation, but will also create jobs, reduce congestion and grow a service sector along the way | NOT ACHIEVED | 1/10 |
| 13. | Security: The DPP government will provide “Total Security” to both persons and businesses in Malawi. DPP deplores the current levels of insecurity under the current regime, and its associated direct negative impact on the economy and investment opportunities | The DPP reign has been characterised with lapse in security contrary to the promise. At the peak of the security lapse has been the famous “Anamapopa” and the “killings of persons with albinism”. Worse still, Mutharika’s regime has been passive in dealing with these crises. Malawi goes into the 2019 Tripartite elections with the right to life of persons with albinism at threat | 1/10 |
| 14. | Housing: The DPP government will introduce and implement a subsidy on cement and iron sheets to empower the poor in Malawi to build and own decent houses | The DPP honoured the promise by introducing the cement and iron sheets subsidy. There have been a number of testimonies from beneficiaries from this program. However, the program has often been characterised with cases of it mainly targeting those aligned to the ruling party. Besides, there is little evidence in terms of empirically measuring the impact such a program has registered so far. Nevertheless, the DPP must be commended for honouring such a promise | 6/10 |
| 15. | DPP will fast track the projects on the Chipembere Highway, Zomba-Jali-Chitakale Road, Thyolo-Muona-Bangula road, central region roads, city roads in Mzuzu, Tsangano- Mpatamanga-Chileka road, Lilongwe City bypass, Machinga-Naminga Road, Jenda-Edingeni-Rumphi road, the Lirangwe-Machinga road and the Nsanje World Inland Port. We will also develop other roads such as the ChitipaNthalire-Kasungu roads, Chitipa-Misuku road, Mzimba-Nkhatabay road, RumphiLivingstonia Mission road, Nyika road, Tsangano-Mwanza Neno road, Mwanza – Thambani road, Thyolo-Khonjeni-Luchenza road, Lirangwe-Chingale road. In addition we will construct the university campuses in Karonga, Mzimba, Mangochi and Nsanj3 | Few roads have been completed with the majority still at “laying the foundation stone” level. Some of the listed projects have – worse still- not started | 3/10 |
| 16. | We will prioritise Education and aim to eliminate illiteracy by 2019 and be technologically advanced by 2023. To facilitate this, we will repair and upgrade old schools and building new ones so that no child should have to walk more than five kilometres to attend school. Science, technology and technical subjects will be given special attention to encourage our youths towards non-white collar job mentality. A Special Child and Youth 11 Rehabilitation Fund will be developed to enable the children and youth from impoverished families have access to vocational training so as to equip them to become self-reliant. Community Colleges will be developed in every district to facilitate knowledge and skills transfer. The Teaching profession will be upgraded and make it an attractive service in Malawi. | Very little has been done to translate this promise. Besides, there has been lack of motivation of teachers, and one can ably argue that after 5 years of DPP reign the teaching profession remains unattractive. The recently politicised promotion of teachers have not helped matters in changing the status quo. In addition, the so-called Special Child and Youth Rehabilitation Fund has not been developed to enable the children and youth from impoverished families have access to vocation training so as to equip them to become self-reliant. However, the DPP government must be commended for increasing the allocation to the Education sector in the national budget. | 3/10 |
| 17. | A proper gender balance shall be observed to ensure women are fully represented in the National Assembly, the Cabinet, and the civil service and in all public institutions and organizations. | While the DPP government may not have direct control to gender balance representation in the National Assembly, there has been little to show in the public service. Besides, President Mutharika’s cabinet continues to the least women represented cabinet with only 3 women. Nevertheless, there have been some progress – though slow- towards achieving gender balance in the appointments of the boards of public institutions including parastatals. | 5/10 |
| 18. | . There will be a new political forum called the “Council of Representatives” composed of group interests including Traditional Chiefs, Teachers, Religious Group, Women in Business, the Youth, the Elderly, the People with Disabilities and Non-Governmental Organizations. The Council of Representatives will be an advisory body to Parliament and shall debate issues of specific interest to them and make proposals and recommendations to the Parliament for endorsement and legislation. | This has not been achieved | 0/10 |
| 19. | The DPP government shall construct the state of the art judicial complex adjacent to the Parliament complex in Lilongwe. | This has not been achieved | 0/10 |
| 20. | More girls’ hostels at secondary schools will be built throughout the country to ensure that girls receive better education. | The DPP started implementing this but there has been slow progress. | 5/10 |
| 21. | Community Colleges will be introduced in every district to render practical knowledge and skills relevant to our economy; the three-year associate diploma / degree programmes offered in these community colleges will facilitate graduates to become self-employed, and/or allow them to proceed towards attainment of bachelor degrees in other colleges and universities. Specialized job-placement agencies will be established to ensure skill-job matching | The DPP government must be commended for starting implementing the Community Colleges. While these colleges may not have achieved its target of being in every district, it’s so far current reach (across the three regions) give hope that this may be completed. This is one of the important programs introduced by the DPP which as a country we must embrace and support as it has great potential in addressing the unemployment challenge. | 7/10 |
| 22. | Children with learning disabilities, including the physically disabled or handicapped or those requiring, specialized training, will be provided with adequate facilities to enable them to train side-by-side with the rest of the children. | This has not been fully achieved. Little efforts so far done | 2/10 |
| 24. | The Teacher Profession will be upgraded and made attractive. The DPP government will ensure improved training and skills upgrading, and motivation for teachers and instructors at primary, secondary, vocational training centres, community colleges as well as lecturers and professors at universities and other institutions of higher learning. They will be provided with the necessary tools and equipment to enable them to assimilate knowledge and skills more effectively and efficiently; | NOT ACHIEVED | 1/10 |
| 25. | DPP will also subscribe to the EITI, and create an independent contract negotiating unit in extractive resources. | The DPP must be commended for not only subscribing to the Extractive Industries Transparency (EITI)- a global standard to promote the open and accountable management of oil, gas and mineral resources- but also submitting a report an EITI report whose process involved the participation of the Civil Society and the Private Sector. However, the DPP government is yet to create an independent contract negotiating unit in extractive resources. | 7/10 |
| 26. | Upgrade and maintain Kamuzu and Chileka International airports, and develop international airports in Mangochi, Nsanje, Mzuzu and Karonga | There have been some maintainance at Kamuzu and Chileka international airports. However, little has been done in upgrading these airports. Besides, DPP government failed to develop international airports in Mangochi, Nsanje, Mzuzu and Karonga | 2/10 |
| 27. | The DPP Government will not tolerate the abuse of women in any form including discrimination and gender based violence. Women will therefore be respected, protected and facilitated to play a more positive role in our country. | Contrary to this promise, the DPP government has been in the lead in promoting and tolerating abuse and discrimination of women in any form. Some members of the DPP have been rewarded with cabinet posts after insulting and intimidating fellow women politicians from the Opposition. There have been cases where some cadets have harassed women in public with the Mangochi incident one of them as well as Patricia Kaliati’s harassment at Parliament by the cadets. Ironically, none of these cadets have been arrested. Worse still, the President has remained mum on these cases of abuse of women. | 0/10 |
| 28. | DPP will establish the National Youth Development Service (NYDS), whose basic objective is to develop a variety of skills and programmes for the youth and to equip them to acquire capacities to stand on their own. | Not achieved. | 0/10 |
| 29. | The DPP will facilitate promotion of quality in locally produced products and promote the Best-Buy-Malawian campaign. As a buyer of goods and services, the DPP government shall first look to Malawian made goods and services, and therefore help to directly improve the economy and welfare of the people | The Best-Buy-Malawi strategy was introduced by the DPP government. However, the campaign has suffered from lack of public ownership. There is need to do more on the part of government in order to ensure that this good initiative is owned and grounded by all Malawians irrespective of political divide. Besides, there is need for government to strengthen its monitoring and screening mechanisms (i.e. through Malawi Bureau of Standards) of local products in order to make them more attractive to the public who often prefer external products. Otherwise, the Best-Buy Malawi strategy is a good strategy worthy supporting | 7/10 |
| 30. | The DPP will motivate the civil society and NGOs to complement the work of the government and fully appreciate the government policy directions. To facilitate this, we will review the NGO law so that it facilitates, and not stifle the contribution of the NGOs and civil society to Malawi’s development. | As earlier indicated, the draft Amendment Bill (2010) to the NGO Act was far from facilitating the contribution of the NGOs and Civil Society to Malawi’s development. If truth be told it was an attempt to stifle the contribution of the NGOs and Civil Society to Malawi’s development | 1/10 |
| 31. | The DPP believes that Malawi Communications and Regulatory Authority (MACRA) and the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) must be professional and serve the interests of all Malawians. In this regard, a. The DPP government will among others ensure that the appointment and removal of the Director Generals of the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation and MACRA is done by the special Appointment Committee. b. MBC and MACRA will be required by law to report annually to Parliament. | This has not been achieved. The 5 year of DPP reign experienced the worst politicisation and executive interference of MACRA and MBC. | 0/10 |
| TOTAL SCORES | 79 /310 | ||
| % SCORE | 25% |
Conclusion
The DPP 2019-2024 manifesto boasts of a “government we can trust”. However, if the implementation and honouring of its preceding manifesto (2014) is anything to go by where it has failed to honour the many promises it made, it would be difficult for Malawians to trust the DPP on the many fresh promises outlined in its 2019-2024 manifesto.
By scoring 25% in the evaluation of the social contract it had with Malawians, the DPP cannot be trusted with another fresh mandate to fulfil its fresh promises.
Failure to honour one’s part in the social contract with citizens is a serious integrity issue. Indeed, as rightly summed up in the DPP 2014 Manifesto: “We in the DPP believe that if a Government does not have integrity, it has no right to govern” .
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Out of curiosity, does the analyst live in Malawi? He is out of touch with reality. Otherwise, you have done a great job to highlight the promises so that people can on their own assess DPP’s performance on the basis of these points.
DPP! Boma leni leni. Indeed Pro Peter Muthalika deserves another term to develop Malawi further. Enawa alibe kalikonse ndiye akatenga Boma ndiye azayambe kumanga ma offices ndi kugula ma galimoto a chipani. DPP Chipani chokhazikika ndipo chizalamula mpaka Ambuye Yesu abwelenso kachiwili.
Achisilu inu odya manyi a APM. stupid pipo who hate our country Malawi. Dpp out, mwabera chimanga anthu osauka, mwapha anthu osalakwa ma albinos, Njaunju, kuwasiya akazi ake ndi ana akuvutika, Robert Chasowa, Dule, and list is endless. Chaponda is fucking free after stealing, mpasu anamangidwa ataba mabuku, anyani inu u deserve to rote and some of us will eat ur copse and smile when u die. Mukaone ng’anjo ya moto mukafa inu. No mercy for u mukangoluza. Tizakuvekani ma teyala mkukuwotchani
Shit of analysis
DPP is the only party that has the will and ability to transform our country at the moment. MCP tried in 30 years – we know how it ended with death and crocodiles. Now that Chakwera has teamed with PP’s chief cashgater, Joyce Banda – MCP’s electoral case is weakened. UDF goofed in 10 years (no-one wants it back). Pumbwa Chilima ndi UTM have nothing to offer – he is running a drama group whose plays Michael Usi is directing.
Actually on housing delivery – the malata subsidy program is a big flop, that policy should be discontinued.
Malawi population is currently at 17 million. This means 5 people per household on average. This means there are 3 400, 400 households in malawi. The subsidy program was targetting 20 people in each of the 193 constituencies = 3860 people = 772 households, this means only 0.11 %of the population has benefitted from the subsidy in five years
We have seen by ourselves what the Dpp has done on the ground and our hope is still on APM and nothing will stop us from choosing him to continue developing this country. Enanu ndi nsanje chabe mulibe mtima oyamikira ndie chomwe mungadziwe ndichoti nsanje situkula munthu ndipo muphulika zenizeni chifukwa Dpp idakapitiza kulamulira Malawi
Kape
Ku Kamuzu international airport ati akupangako maintenance? This political hack didn’t take time to go there and witness that new terminals are being built. What a hack.
Manfesto ya DPP ndi trash yeni yeni mbola
It is difficult to understand this DPP government, why is NOT including M5 Road between Kaphatenga ( Salima) to Dwangwa ( Nkhotakota) in manifesto but why? this road contribute a lot to Malawians even foreigners. People from Nkhotakota please wake up guys . when did this district will develop if we have poor road like M5 hence we have ILLOVO and NKhotakota Game reserve Including harbour at KARIBA which already damaged but still SITIMA always stops to Likoma and to Metangula- Mozambique. What a shame. We are all Malawaians and we contribute the same taxes to government. SO Please revise… Read more »
You are talking about DPP only, have other parties included that road in their manifesto?
and yet there have been influential politicians like Chimunthu Banda and now Jeffrey and the like but are just hand clappers. A Kotakota chamba chimakupwetekani.
A failed government that is called DPP!!! UTM ndirandire!!!