Reform officials set to trim Malawi presidential powers

Officials running the Public Sector Reform Program say they have completed a process that would trim the powers of the President.

Nwazi Nthambala, Public Sector Reforms Management Unit’s  Principal Secretary  told Zodiak radio Wednesday that her office has completed the process of trimming the presidential powers but she could not say the proposed powers that need to be trimmed from President Peter Mutharika and his successors.

However, some quarters have expressed concern over the President’s continued appointments of the Clerk of Parliament and graft busting body, the Anti Corruption Bureau director.

Nthambala said people should have patience as after completing the process, the proposed changes have been sent to relevant government bodies to initiate legislation change.

She mentioned a number of changes that came as a result of the reforms which included payment of teachers’ salaries on time.

The reformists called for a meeting with civil rights groups in the country to update them on the progress of the reform process.

One of the activists Moses Mkandawire of church and society of the Livingstonia Synod commended the reform programme for the meeting but said there was need to reach out to the marginalised poor ordinary people in villages as well apart from the usual meetings in red carpet hotel rooms.