No women civil servants dancing at presidential functions – OPC
The Malawi Government has ordered a ban on women civil servants from dancing at presidential functions during working hours, saying the practice contributes to inefficiencies in the public service.
In a circular dated May 9, 2012 and signed by Chief Secretary to Government, Bright Msaka, the Joyce Banda administration says women civil servants are, however, allowed to showcase their dancing skills during presidential functions only during weekends or holidays.
The circular, according to a top Government official who spoke to Nyasa Times has two issues under discussion and is entitled “Implementation of Cabinet meeting resolutions.”
“Cabinet met and discussed a number of issues such as women civil servants and Republic day celebrations,” reads the circular, according to the top government technocrat, adding the circular has been circulated to all government departments and institutions this week.
The circular says cabinet met recently to deliberate on key national issues and agreed that women civil servants should stop wasting time on presidential functions instead of being in offices.
Further, the circular touches on the traditional Republic and Independence Day celebrations which usually take the form of dances on 6th July. However, Government has directed that this year’s celebrations could not be held at the same magnitude as it used to do but instead hold prayers only on 6th July.
However, Malawi would hold the African Union Summit in Lilongwe in July, during the same week the celebrations were scheduled to take place, raising suspicions that Government has cancelled the Republic celebrations due to the AU summit.
The Joyce Banda administration has moved swiftly to revamp the public sector and change the mindset of many Malawians.
She has since opened up the MBC airwaves to critics, restored donor confidence, brought back IMF discussions on new programme, mended UK-Malawi diplomatic relations and has courted President Armando Guebuza of Mozambique closer to Malawi to revive the Shire Zambezi Water Way project.
Banda has also sacked late Bingu Mutharika’s blue-eyed boys: pompous Bright Malopa, arrogant Secretary to Treasury Joseph Mwanamveka, and other excess-baggage in the former cabinet such as the ‘mid-night six’ ministers of Patricia Kaliati, Nicholous Dausi, Kondwani Nankhumwa, Vuwa Kaunda and Henry Mussa.
Banda’s pragmatic approach to government policy seems to be bearing fruits with the economy now on road to recovery as pump stations are loaded with the scarce fuel, banks have forex and the black market is struggling to survive.
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