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.”

Ntaba: In the dialogue team
Ntaba: In the dialogue team

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.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
8 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
yebo
yebo
7 years ago

So tiukamati dziko ili akulamulira ndi anthu ena muzikana tawonani pamenepa kkkkkkkk kuthawa chilungamo chomwe akuwopa ndi chani azake amalakhula ndi pac iyeyu ndi ndani kuti asalakhule alibe fundo zoyendetsela dziko kape

Patirishakaliyati
7 years ago

Pac idalankula ndiKamuzu pac idalankula ndiaMuluzu pac Alankulandi aBingu pac yalankula ndiaJoice Banda ndiyelelo PAC yomweyo ilankule ndiana? PETER who do you think you are ? Pac should talk to you personally osati through aliyense. When PAC talked to Kamuzu panalibe thirdpart even that oldschool computer NTABA was there sadanene kalikose

zulifa
zulifa
7 years ago

Chemwali a patuma kaliati ! Ndimayetsa mumati PAC ilibe ntchito koma lero mukuti mukakambirane. …bwinotu bwino .
Kodi munali kuti pamene amagwa pansi ndikupita kulichete MDALA uja ?
Komatu , musayitenge PAC ngati ma DPP cadets..
Zotapana mkamwa ine toto !!!

Chemwali chimwene
Chemwali chimwene
7 years ago

Musamafulumire kulalata, Peter saali ngati Bingu, amene sankabwenzamoto. Nanga lero a Kaliyati manyazi akugwileni. Peter wachita bwino. Tione mmene otumidwao atachitire. Mwaanja wa a Bamusi likondeni dziko lathuli.

Zilani
Zilani
7 years ago

Let’s hope govt will look at things objectively rather than dismissing every fact outright. The problem with DPP administration is that they behave as if it’s their first time in power when asked to change the way govt conducts business, on the other hand they behave as if they’re experts when they want to get credit on Bingu’s foundations and or achievements. PAC has not changed its talk on issues of national interest while govt has always been changing the goal posts. For instance, APM has changed tune on trimming presidential powers mainly on appointments. During campaign he even knelt… Read more »

The Partriot
The Partriot
7 years ago

This is the way to go, dialogue on a level playing ground! The government technical team is high powered, full of educated and professional people who we expect to look beyond partisan interests and take issues of national interests as a priority. The likes of Bamusi, Magalasi , Kumpalume, Tembenu are young patriotic individuals who will be around for a longer time than most of the aging and aged DPP leadership. I hope and pray that these younger leaders will be visionary enough to see that they have reputations and their future political careers are at stake here! Malawians are… Read more »

Nyani wa ku Mwananyani
Nyani wa ku Mwananyani
7 years ago

– PAC must really overestimate their importance in our society. They should realize that there are other groups in Malawi representing Malawians, the bao player – the person in the village. PAC is but a religious grouping, with special interests in that area, no doubt. And they should NOT pretend to represent all of us. – NO deadlines, NO deadlines, NO deadlines! Too many unpredictable variables go in determining political outcomes at national level. Even Village Heads are NOT given ultimatums. Do not treat the Government like it is a vendor selling produce at the public market. And stop treating… Read more »

Mzakwacha NN,
Mzakwacha NN,
7 years ago

Palibe chanzeru chingatuluke btn pac and the 5 men team.Bamusi,ntaba they were very well.This time ali ndi buledi mukamwa angamulangize peter?What the want is ndalama,they advise the president unwisely.Zidyani,its ur time mind u,amalawi akuvutika ndi njala inu mukukhuta kumaphwitsa.Muzachoka,just wait.Bamus,munali amuna inu,koma pano peter akukudyesa ndipo akupatsa office mumwamba,ungasuse?Mzakwacha.Nixon,pretoria west.+2772492229911

Read previous post:
Malawi Police nab murder suspect in Nsanje: Mchambalinja charged with burning Nyamatcherenga to death

Malawi Police  in Nsanje have arrested, John Dedza Mchambalinja, 23, for allegedly burning to death Fombe Nyamatcherenga, 23. Nsanje police...

Close