Malawi civil servants yet to get January pay cheque

Most civil servants, including primary school teachers, are yet to receive their pay cheque for January, throwing them in deep personal crisis and poverty.

Information gathered by Nyasa Times indicate 15 ministries have been affected by salary delays including ministries of Education and Health.

Government officials say the delays are due to the migration of pay points from Capital Hill in Lilongwe to council offices for more efficiency.

Teachers Union of Malawi president Denis Kalekeni said the pay point migration has affected the release of the salaries.

“But this was seen coming. They had piloted this in four districts including Phalombe where they experienced salary delays, teachers received their salaries on the 10th or 15th of the next month,” he said.

Kalekeni said after noting problems facing the pilot phase, the government should have called for a meeting of all stakeholders in a bid to seek opinions on how best to improve the system.

The government has decided to decentralise payment of salaries to make it more effective and efficient.

This comes at a time when district education managers have been empowered to empower misbehaving teachers, including those who absond from duties without valid reasons.

Kalekeni said secondary school teachers have received their January pay because they pay point was Capital Hill, they are yet to be migrated to councils.