Ntaba, Bamusi in team to dialogue with PAC on Malawi ‘actionable resolutions’

President Peter Arthur Peter Mutharika has appointed a government technical team to dialogue with Public Affairs Committee (PAC) —a civil society, inter-faith organisation made up of the main Protestant, Catholic and Muslim faith groups in the country— on “matters of national interest.”

Minister of Information, Communication, Technology and Civic Education, Patricia Kaliati said the committee  composition comprises Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Samuel Tembenu, who is also the chairperson and spokesperson of the government technical team; Dr. Collins Magalasi, Chief Economic Advisor and Executive Assistant to the President;  Mavuto Bamusi, Special Advisor and Assistant to the President on NGOs and Civil Society;  Dr. Peter Kumpalume, Minister of Health and Dr. Hetherwick Ntaba, Chief Advisor to the President on Domestic Policy.

Kaliati, who is government spokesperson,  said President Mutharika “moved to appoint this team because he values and prioritises dialogue on matters of national interest.”

She said: “The President wishes both the Government technical team and the PAC fruitful dialogue as we build Malawi.”

The appointment of technical committee follows a meeting which ended on deadlock  between President Mutharika and PAC on April 21 with the President categorically stating that his administration does not take deadlines from anyone.

PAC sought to brief Mutharika on recommendations made by delegates to its Fifth All-Inclusive Stakeholders Conference in Blantyre in February.

From the recommendations, PAC developed actionable resolutions on each thematic area, including governance, agriculture, economy and health. Delegates, notably opposition political parties—Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and People’s Party (PP)—called for Mutharika’s resignation and that call was inserted in a document present to Mutharika.

But government condemned PAC for being hostile towards Mutharika.

Father Peter Mulomole, PAC’s spokesperson, gave a newspaper interview on 27 April 2016 which he said President Mutharika   seemed  not  to  be  aware  of  some critical  issues .

“We had a tough exercise to discuss with the Head of State in a live broadcast given  that he  maintained  from  the outset  that  he had  been  transformative and that there was no need  for  some of the actionable  solutions. And yet those issues  have  constantly been  raised  in  all  the three  regions  of  Malawi,” Mulomole said.

He said: “ The President and his DPP may hate deadlines, but Malawians do not. So let the President not belittle what the conference has recommended. Malawians should not be taken for granted.”

Fr Mulomole said Malawi still lacks a listening and bold servant leadership.

“There is too much Executive arrogance. We lack the kind of leadership that is ready to make hard decisions the country needs on various  issues  such as  Fertiliser Input Subsidy Programme, Green Belt Initiative, crop diversification, fiscal discipline, reduction  of  presidential  powers, our flawed electoral system and reactionary Constitution. Most of the decisions that administrations have been making are for political convenience and not for real national development,” PAC spokesman said.

But government spokesperson said contrary to the dismissive and hostile stance taken by PAC, government  still regard the religious grouping as partner in constructive dialogue towards finding solutions to Malawi’s longstanding challenges.

“PAC must respect the spirit of dialogue,” Kaliati said.

PAC  said a follow  up  meeting of  technical  people will aim at clarifying  and  changing  the  documents and develop a way forward to the “Actionable Resolutions.”

Economic issues cited by PAC as requiring urgent government action included fiscal discipline, creation of a national planning commission, agricultural reforms in both irrigation and Fisp.

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