By Cathy Maulidi:
The government has introduced special allowances for civil servants effective October 1 2023.
According to a letter from the Secretary for Human Resource Management and Development Blessings Chilabade, which has been addressed to all controlling officers and heads of departments, the government has introduced the special allowances as part of its ongoing efforts to improve civil servants’ welfare.
Officers from Grade C to R will be the ones to receive the special allowances every month.
Officers from Grade C to 1 will be getting K40,000 special allowance every month, Grade J to N will be getting K30,000 while Grade O to R will be getting K20,000 per month.
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“The special allowances shall be subject to periodic review alongside other allowances,” the letter reads.
Department of Human Resource Management and Development spokesperson Ken Ntonga confirmed the development to The Daily Times.
He said the special allowances are an amount the government is adding to civil servants’ monthly salaries.
“If you check the Finance Minister’s budget statement, you will agree [with me] that they [allowances] were included in the current budget and implementation has come after a lengthy discussion between government and all stakeholders in the welfare of civil servants,” Ntonga said.
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Reacting to the news, Civil Servants Trade Union General Secretary Madalitso Njolomole said the move would motivate civil servants.
“We, as a civil servants’ trade union, are very happy that the government has implemented what we negotiated and we are looking forward to an increase of the special allowance in the near future, considering the economic hardships we are going through,” Njolomole said.
However, Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency Executive Director Willy Kambwandira has described this as piecemeal implementation of the public sector reforms.
“While we agree that the cost of living has gone up, and salaries of the civil servants be revised upwards, we have questions on whether this is legal and what does Parliament say? The government ought to explain the basis of the special allowances. Is it minimum wage or cost of living adjustment? It’s suspicious and responsible officers owe Malawians an explanation,” Kambwandira said.
