Mutharika criticised for swallowing public service reforms

President Peter Mutharika has come under intense fire for literary swallowing public service reforms when he appointed former reforms commissioner to be CEO for debt ridden and under performing power generating company, Escom.

Evelyn Mwapasa is set to take up her new position at Escom on April 1.

However, as a public service reforms commissioner, Mwapasa highly recommended to government that all public and civil service appointments, including those in parastatals, should be procedurally done by advertising for the positions and the best candidate after the interviews picked.

However, Mutharika has just appointed Mwapasa, who is currently the CEO for Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Malawians, writing in social media, have condemned the president for eating his own words on public appointments visa viz public service reforms.

They accuse Mutharika and his administration of nepotism, tribalism and favouritism in the awards of jobs and contracts after it transpired that Mwapasa never went for any interviews.

In his speech during the launch of the public service reforms, Mutharika emphatically said: “Let us accept change, open up our fixed mindset so that we start anew and afresh in rebuilding our nation…This time around reforming the public service is not a matter of multiple choice. It will be done and it must be done. And it must be done now.”

It has transpired that Escom decided to hold interviews for the position of chief executive officer and other top positions but changed later.

Chairman of Escom Jean Mathamanga confirmed some rules and procedures may have been flouted when the decision to interview candidates for the top Escom positions were cancelled.