Malawi to retire 19 top officers in civil service reorganisation

Malawi civil service reorganisation will see 19 Principal Secretaries, including Chief Secretary George Mkondiwa and Police chief  Lot Dzonzi, sent for for early retirement and government will cough over K2.4 billion in retirement packages.

According to a document by the Civil Service Reform Commission titled “List of Principal Secretaries who are above the age of 55: Expected Retirement Packages”,  all the officials were expected to be retired between now and 2019.

Apart from Dzonzi and Mkondiwa, the list also includes former Attorney General Anthony Kamanga, Deputy Chief Secretary to the government, Willie Samute and Moffat Chitimbe, Clement Kapalamula, Newby Kumwembe, Clement Chinthu-Phiri, Ivy Luhanga, Chris Kang’ombe and Randson Mwadiwa.

Also making the list are Zangazanga Chikhosi, Macphail Magwira, Lonely Magreta, Mary Shawa, Else Tembo, Paul Chiunguzeni and Kester Kaphaizi.

President Peter Mutharika’s proposed changes include reducing the number of ministerial portfolios, including deputy ministers, to 20 and reforming budgetary allocation for maintaining state residences.

He said he hopes to promote “professionalism, integrity, technical competence and efficiency.”

Mutharika hopes the new civil service will be non-partisan and corruption free, which will be achieved “through full compliance with existing public financial management rules, regulations and practices”.

A Civil Service Reform Commission is headed by State Vice President Saulos Chilima.

The Commission members  include  former Director of Public Procurement Bright Mangulama,  economist and  a renowned resilient business man Thom Mpinganjira.

Social development lawyer and women’s rights activist Seodi White is also a member. An accounts expert Evelyn Mwapasa, Rev Matiya Nkhoma and barrister-at-law Krishna Savjani are other members in the commission.