Jobless queue grows as Malawi youth seek employment at hotel

With youth unemployment at record levels in Malawi, the capital city Lilongwe on Wednesday witnessed long queue  at Golden Peacock Hotel as youths search for jobs.

A long winding queue at the hotel, situated just less than a kilometre away from Capital Hill, the seat of government surprised guests to the Chinese run hotel.

The Golden Peacock Hotel had run an advertisement weeks ago asking for applications for the jobs of waiters, waitresses, bartenders, cleaners, stewards, security guards, receptionists, food and supervisor supervisors and room and services officials.

The qualifications for all the position was just a mere Malawi School Certificate of Education, a qualification completely lowered by the mushrooming of many university and tertiary private institutions.  The  job seekers  were advised to bring their certificates  and CVs for interviews on Wednesday.

Thousands of job seekers queued for hours in a desperate attempt to nab one of the positions at hotel , a sign that there is untold high unemployment rate in Malawi due to harsh economic situation

The job hopefuls began queuing at 5am, despite the interviews not starting until 10am.

A University of Malawi graduate, who did not want to be named and joined the winding queue said: “I had to join the queue  because this can be my chance to get a job.”

Job-creation schemes for graduates are very low down in ministerial in-trays and it is a social problem, though a more deep-seated social problem than people perhaps realise.

‘It is hard for people who have no connection to the ruling elite like myself to get a job. I came for this  job  because you have to take what you can get, like I said, the opportunities are limited for the youth and those who have no one to back them up,” he said.

Civilian police from the police headquarters stood at strategic places to ensure that there was peace and calm at one of the newest hotel in Malawi.

Officials from the hotel refused to comment on why all interviewees were called one day same time saying they would respond after interviews.