Secondments Shock: How Taxpayers are Funding Two CEOs for One Job
Malawians are set to pay the price—literally—for a controversial government decision that threatens to drain scarce public resources while claiming to promote “hands-on experience” in universities. The Peter Mutharika administration’s recent deployment of several chief executive officers (CEOs) from state agencies to public universities has raised eyebrows, angered experts, and highlighted a costly flaw in the so-called austerity measures.
Under the arrangement, CEOs from parastatals including the Central Region Water Board, Blantyre Water Board, Southern Region Water Board, Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom), and the Electricity Generation Company (Egenco) have been sent to teach at public universities such as the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences and Mzuzu University (Mzuni).
At first glance, the move is presented as an opportunity for students to learn from seasoned professionals. But the reality is far more troubling: these CEOs command salaries ranging from K10 million to K15 million, plus benefits such as fuel allowances and hefty fees for their children. Their secondments do not eliminate these salaries; instead, they create a scenario where two people are effectively being paid for the same role—the CEO in secondment and the acting CEO covering the original post. Malawians are now expected to finance both, a situation experts say is a shocking contradiction to the government’s austerity rhetoric.
A human resource expert familiar with Malawi Public Service Regulations (MPSR 1:174 (3)) confirmed that the recipient universities are required to reimburse all perks to the originating agencies. This shifts a huge financial burden onto institutions already struggling to fund their core academic activities, creating a cascading strain on the education sector.
Civil Society Education Coalition Executive Director Benedicto Kondowe criticized the practice as politically motivated and economically reckless. “Deployment of CEOs with no academic background undermines standards and distorts human-resource planning,” Kondowe said. He warned that public universities risk being turned into holding grounds for expensive executives, raising serious questions about fairness, merit, and accountability.
Mzuni economics lecturer Christopher Mbukwa echoed these concerns, highlighting the glaring inefficiency: “Two people will be paid for the same post. Not only does this waste resources, it creates resentment among ordinary lecturers who see CEOs driving expensive vehicles while earning multiples of their salary.” Accountability expert Willy Kambwandira added that this sets a dangerous precedent, turning universities into dumping grounds for high-cost executives while genuine academic needs remain underfunded.
The Chief Secretary to Government, Justin Saidi, defended the move as both corrective and inspirational, suggesting CEOs are either “role models” or redeployed due to underperformance. But experts argue that most secondments appear political rather than technical, likely to generate unnecessary litigation and further financial wastage.
At a time when ordinary Malawians are struggling with economic hardship, this decision is not just imprudent—it is damaging. Taxpayers are essentially funding double salaries, perks, and lifestyle allowances for a small elite under the guise of education, while real academic investments languish.
Malawi cannot afford such reckless management of public funds. The secondments expose a government willing to compromise economic efficiency for political symbolism, sending a clear message: austerity is selective, and the cost of poor governance will always be borne by the ordinary citizen.
If action is not taken to stop this waste, the consequences will be felt not just in university budgets, but across the entire economy—higher costs, lower standards, and a citizenry forced to pay for extravagance at the top.
Malawi deserves better. Two CEOs are not an investment—they are a burden. And taxpayers should demand accountability before it’s too late.
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