Speech by President Arthur Peter Mutharika at the Signing Ceremony of Four Additional Performance...

7/24/2019 Speech by President Arthur Peter Mutharika at the Signing Ceremony of Four Additional Performance Contracts Wi

1/10

REPUBLIC OF MALA

PEECH BY

HI EXCELLENCY PROF. ARTHUR PETER

MUTHARIKA, PRE IDENT OF THE

REPUBLIC OF MALAWI,

AT THE

IGNING CEREMONY OF PERFOMANCE

CONTRACT FOR THE MINI TRIE OF

LAND , HOU ING AND URBAN

DEVELOPMENT; INDU TRY AND TRADE;

JU TICE AND CON TITUTIONAL AFFAIR ;

AND PORT AND CULTURE

AT KAMUZU PALACE, LILONGWE

ON 16 JULY 2016

1

I

HI EXCELLENCY PROF. ARTHUR PETER

MUTHARIKA, PRE IDENT OF THE

REPUBLIC OF MALAWI,

IGNING CEREMONY OF PERFOMANCE

CONTRACT FOR THE MINI TRIE OF

LAND , HOU ING AND URBAN

DEVELOPMENT; INDU TRY AND TRADE;

ND CON TITUTIONAL AFFAIR ;

AND PORT AND CULTURE

KAMUZU PALACE, LILONGWE


2/10

2

Right Honourable Dr. aulos Klaus Chilima, Vice

President of the Republic of Malawi, who is also

Chairperson of the Public Service Reform Commission; Honourable Atupele Muluzi, M.P., Minister of Lands,

Housing and Urban Development;

Honourable Joseph Mwanamvekha

, M.P., Minister of

Industry and Trade;

Honourable amuel Tembenu,

Minister of Justice and

Constitutional Affairs

Honourable Grace Chiumia, MP, Minister of Sports and

Culture

Dr. James Maida, Commissioner of the Public Service

Reforms Commission;

Mr. George Mkondiwa

, Chief Secretary to the

Government;

Ms Nwazi Mthambala, Chief Director for the Public

Sector Reforms Management Department

All Principal ecretaries and Government Officials;

Members of the Press;

Ladies and Gentlemen.


3/10

3

It gives me great pleasure to preside over this important ceremony

today, where the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban

Development; the Minister of Industry and Trade; the Minister of

Justice and Constitutional Affairs; and the Minister of Sports and

Culture have signed Performance Contracts for the four ministries.

As you may recall, on 11th February, 2015, I launched the Public

Service Reforms Agenda where seven ministries and one

department signed Performance Contracts for the period February,

2015 to December, 2015.

As highlighted in various fora, including giving an update in

parliament and as reported by the media, we can all agree that

there has been much progress on the reforms and that we are on

the right track to the desired state.

The fact that Malawians are talking and discussing reforms on a

daily basis, is a clear indication that there is a national consensus

that we need to change the way we have conducted business in this

country.

Therefore, it is more befitting and proper that more ministries

should join in the reforms agenda. I am, therefore, proud that once


4/10

4

again today we have witnessed the signing of the Performance

Contracts by these four ministries.

The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has

committed itself to undertake three reform areas namely: Policy

and Legal reforms; Administrative reforms and Institutional reforms.

Through these reforms that the Ministry of Lands, Housing and

Urban Development will be implementing, I want the ministry to

be able to create an enabling environment for efficient, effective

and sustainable provision of land, housing and urban development

services to the general public.

The public has entrusted this administration to govern and produce

results and they are waiting for us to deliver. We have no excuse

but to deliver to the people because thats what they expect from

us.

Through the commitment to reform you have made today, the

people of Malawi expect improved access to land and security of

land tenure for socio-economic development.


5/10

5

Our people will also expect improved delivery of building services,

increased access to affordable, safe and secure houses with

particular focus on low income and vulnerable groups.

These are some of the things that Honourable Minister you have

signed for and promised the people of Malawi and me. We expect

nothing but implementation and delivery.

Similarly, the Ministry of Industry and Trade,the public expects you

to create an enabling and competitive environment for private

sector development, among your many promises under this

agreement.

These reforms in your ministry, Honourable Minister, should

empower Malawians to participate in economic activities; and help

to expand domestic and international market share for Malawian

products and services.

As you have promised in the contract, my interest is also to see

these reforms promote growth and diversification of exports as

well as to increase industrial productivity and competitiveness.

The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, on its part, has

committed to embark on reforms that will help promote the rule of


6/10

6

law through the provision of professional legal services in a

transparent and accountable manner in order to ensure a just, fair

and democratic society.

And as expected, your role as a Minister is to provide political

oversight and policy direction in the Ministry to ensure that

strategic objectives and outcomes of the reform areas within your

ministry are achieved within specified timeframes.

I am glad that some of the reforms have already taken shape

because it was two weeks ago that the Vice President launched the

two reforms outcomes from your ministry.

In particular, I am delighted that the on-line Malawi Business

Registration ystem (MBRS) of companies and businesses is now

implemented. And I am looking forward to more achievements.

This initiative will improve the business environment in Malawi by

making it easier for people to register businesses and companies

online without having to physically visit the Registrar Generals

office thereby saving both time and resources.

Turning to you, the Minister of ports and Culture, you too are

expected to offer political leadership and direction to ensure that


7/10

7

the reforms agenda you have committed to pursue today should

materialize and help improve the welfare of the people of this

country.

I look forward to the ministry to revise management structure for

sports in the country, improve planning, implementation and

coordination of sports programs in the country as well as

establishing an incentive and Welfare Programme for Sports

Persons, among other reform areas.

Mr. Vice President, Honourable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen

The absence of such a national incentive and welfare program has

resulted in lack of motivation on the part of our sports men and

women in this country.

In view of this, the Ministrys reform initiative to introduce an

incentive and welfare programme for sports persons will improve

the economic status and welfare of sports persons thereby leading

to improved motivation and performance of sports persons.

I am also happy that one of the reform areas in your ministry is the

devolution of some cultural functions to local councils so that we

promote implementation of cultural programmes at grassroots


8/10

8

level. Furthermore, devolution of cultural functions is in line with

the decentralisation policy which seeks to devolve not only key

functions but also their associated resources.

I know the work ahead is tough to ensure implementationbut rest

assured that my government will give you the necessary support to

ensure that we reform for the betterment of this country.

Therefore, as four new ministers joining this reform journey, I wish

to congratulate you and encourage you to provide sound political

leadership to make these reforms work in your respective ministries.

However, let me warn you that signing and implementing are two

different things. I want results just like the pioneer ministries have

demonstrated. Underperformance will not be tolerated.

Allow me to remind you what I said when I launched the reforms

Agenda on 11thFebruary:

The signing of these Performance Contracts will be between me

and the Ministers. And to put it straight and clear, the system will

be our way of doing business so that we know what results to

expect and also be able to know which Ministers and ministries are

performing to the expectation and delight of Malawians. This


9/10

9

approach will extend to the entire executive and cascade to the

Public ervice as a whole. Days of doing business as usual are long

gone!End of quote.

In conclusion, Honourable Ministers and your teams, I urge you

once again to provide the required political leadership and

spearhead the implementation of the reform areas which you have

signed for today.

Similarly, I appeal to all the public officials in these four ministries

to work with zeal so that the set targets in these Performance

Contracts are achieved by the set dates.

Lastly, it is pleasing to note that under the guidance of the Right

Honourable Vice President, who is the Chairperson of the Public

Service Reform Commission, there has been commendable progress

by the pioneer ministries. The same success story is what we expect

from the four ministries that have signed contracts today.

Mr. Vice President, I also urge you to produce the same results with

parastatal organisations.

Finally, allow me to reiterate that it is my governments quest to

achieve optimal efficiency in the delivery of services to the general


10/10

10

public. I remain resolute that reforms, this time have to be

implemented. I place the highest priority in the public service

reform agenda. Together let us join hands in Making Malawi

Work

May God bless us all and Mother Malawi. I thank you for your

attention.

Speech by President Arthur Peter Mutharika at the Signing Ceremony of Four Additional Performance...

Documents

Transcript of Speech by President Arthur Peter Mutharika at the Signing Ceremony of Four Additional Performance...