Mutharika delivers lecture to Yale University: ‘Malawi paradox of Africa’

President Peter Mutharika outlined his vision for Malawi in deepening of democracy and economic self-determination when he delivered a public lecture at Yale University in United States at the auditorium 45 years after leaving the university.

President  Mutharika at Yale
President Mutharika at Yale -Photo by State House

Mutharika lectured on ‘Democratisation and economic self-determination in Africa: The case of Malawi.” He entertained questions from the audience afterwards.

President Mutharika paid tribute to his alma mater, saying when he left Yale in 1969, destiny never told him that he would become a Head of State 45 years later.

“I didn’t know I would come back to Yale as President of the Republic of Malawi. But somehow, I knew I would return,” said Mutharika, touting Yale University as a place where the human quest for ‘light and truth’ finds its destination.”

He noted that during his time, there were very few African students at Yale, but that he was pleased that the numbers have grown significantly over the years.

In his lecture, Mutharika said Malawi is part of the paradox of Africa: “it is a rich country in terms of natural resources but sadly ranked as being among the poorest in the world. Yet we have some of the most magnificent parks and mountains of Africa and we have land for productive agriculture. We also have Africa’s third biggest fresh water lake which we are now harnessing to irrigate the land as part of Africa’s Green Revolution.

Mutharika also highlighted how Malawi moved from colonial era, to multiparty dispensation with himself being the fifth President of Malawi after winning the 2014 elections.

On democracy, the Malawi leader said countries have a long way to go as far as democracy is concerned citing flaws in the constitutions that govern democracy.

He said Malawi’s first decade of democracy – under president Bakili Muluzi – made progress in setting up structures and institutions of democracy.

“Over the past two decades, Malawi has experienced a significant degree of improvements in the quality of governance. Democratic reforms and political liberalization have helped improve the quality of politics, people’s representation and responses to people’s needs. Malawi is no longer autocratic; it is a liberal, multiparty democracy,” said Mutharika.

The Malawi leader however said the economic progress has remained “modest”.

He said second decade of Malawi’s democracy moved towards economic self-determination, led by late Bingu wa Mutharika.

“Under his leadership, we began to guide the country towards more home-grown economic policies, even promoting the use of subsidies in agriculture, against the position of some of our development partners. This policy led to food self-sufficiency at that time,” said Mutharika.

He also mentioned ‘cashgate’ scandal of looting public resources as the main enemy of Malawi economic prosperity that made the donors pull-out.

“We are now in the process of restoring full integrity to our public resources management culture and systems,” informed Mutharika.

“I have strongly condemned corruption at all levels, both in the public and private sectors. Since I was elected to office, 16 months ago, my administration has had a policy of zero tolerance towards corruption, including the successful prosecution of senior government officials found guilty in our courts.

“The process is ongoing and will continue until its logical conclusion – to rid the public sector of the scourge of corruption. In Malawi, no one is above the law. As a former Law professor, I know what this means and will be true to the values that I developed at Yale many years ago,” said Mutharika in the lecture that was covered Malawi Broadcasting Corporation.

The President said his government has embarked upon the process of reforming the public sector and strengthening public finance management to ensure efficiency, accountability and responsiveness to our people’s needs and requirements.

“The Constitution enjoins us to do so. As a step towards deepening development, we are in the process of setting up a national planning commission which will be empowered to facilitate long-term economic and development planning to avoid political short sightedness,” he said.

In terms of policy implementation, Mutharika pointed out that lack of skilled labour has been another challenge.

“This has undermined sustained growth and our efforts to diversify the economy. The skills challenge has come from a skewed education philosophy that has not been meeting market and industry demands. For a long time, we failed to provide education to underpin manufacturing and export.

“We are now rolling out community colleges across the country to create a skilled labour force that will meet the demands of investors, create new businesses that will set the country on the road to industrialization.”

Mutharika said his administration is equally committed to supporting the private sector to truly act as an engine of growth.

“At present, the government is the biggest employer but we will reverse this by facilitating the rapid expansion of private sector investment. Our goals is to diversify the economy and to double the exports from Malawi by 2019, and turn Malawi from a predominantly importing and consuming country to a predominantly producing and exporting country,” he said.

Mutharika was in New York for United Nations general assembly. He returns home Saturday.

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food for thought
food for thought
8 years ago

Koma magaye, ndinu 1. Some of the blatant lies that you are being masqueraded as comments, iyayi mwaonjeza. Eti ati, “Malawi doesn’t have natural resources” and “Yale is the equivalent of a secondary school”.lmao. Koma muziwelenga musanalembe bwanji. Malawi has deposits of oil, bauxite, uranium, rubies, platinum, soft sands, AND others. This government is making all manner of gaffes, but lets remain honest with ourselves and not just write things for the sake of writing them.

Nyatwa
Nyatwa
8 years ago

Why don’t you have public lectures in Malawi with Q & As fool. We need a public lecture on how you are going to turn around the economy, how we are going to have decent health care so women and children stop dying, we need a public lecture on why teachers and nurses are not being payed, we need a public lecture on why you took 115 people to UNGA., we need a public lecture on why your ugly wife stole money from NAC………we need so many public lectures in Malawi.

Namukachapa
Namukachapa
8 years ago

It would have been better if this photograph was not published. It does a lot of harm.

Optic Computer
Optic Computer
8 years ago

We are dreamers at best. That is what we are known for. My dream: We will become leading producers medical hemp, cashgaters, and state “mapwevupwevu”

Phwado
Phwado
8 years ago

Mitu inayi munangodzadza zimphonongolo ndi mafinya.Public lecture in a theater full of 115 malawian assholes!Shame to agogo!

Peter
Peter
8 years ago

Nyasatimes comments leave slot to desire

captain
captain
8 years ago

Public lecture achina sendeza sisters

Phiri
Phiri
8 years ago

Isnt this the smallest audience I have everseen for a Malawian President to deliver a public Lecture? This is really a joke, dont do something just because others did it. Zimachititsa manyazi. this is a classroom with 60 seating capacity, and you call it public Lecture by a President?

watchfuleyes
watchfuleyes
8 years ago

Why would anyone of sound mind, waste their time, to go and listen to this man speak?

The Patriot
The Patriot
8 years ago

Talk is cheap, any fool can lecture but the wise are known by their actions. 115 delegates to UN speaks louder than mere talk. Unless change starts from the leadership Malawi will never develop! Ngati pano mukupita ndi anthu ma hundreds ku UN, nanga Malawi atalemera simudzatenga Mulhako onse ku UN?

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