Peter Mutharika sets pillars for development
Malawi President Peter Mutharika has said his government will promote three pillars of progress to deal with unpatriotic traits, corruption and laziness among some Malawians.
Speaking during activities to mark the Independence Day celebrations in Blantyre yesterday, Mutharika attributed the country’s underdevelopment to human factor.
Mutharika said the government will use the three pillars which include patriotism, integrity and hard work to support the public service reforms and national development.
During his time in office, the first president of the country, Kamuzu Banda introduced four pillars which were unity, loyalty, obedience and discipline to guide national development.
Mutharika, who said the country is moving towards a better life for all, asked all Malawians to rise together with the economic growth that is coming.
“But there is one immediate challenge facing us all. The human factor! Umunthu wathu! This is where the problem is. We cannot do with people who are irresponsible; dishonest; lazy – wanting results for which you have not worked; wanting things to be done for us than us doing for others; we cannot develop Malawi if we don’t love our country!
“We need to be a nation of responsible and patient people. Rome was not built in a day,” Mutharika said.
He said if the country was emphasising on integrity, Cashgate would not have been there and corruption would be history.
Mutharika then called upon political leaders, educationists, investors and captains of the corporate world, traditional leaders, religious leaders, civil society organisations and the public to embrace the pillars as the core values of the national character.
“If we ever differ, let us unite on this common cause,” he said.
The President said at an appropriate time, the government will organise a national conference where a national plan of implementation on how best to inculcate the values in every Malawian will be drawn.
Mutharika then thanked former presidents for serving the country, saying they served Malawi to the best of their abilities.
He also outlined four areas, including foreign direct investment, skills development through community colleges, public reforms and the green revolution, which his government thinks will turn around the economy.
In his official address, Zambian President Edgar Lungu, who described Malawi and Zambia as not only identical twins but siamese twins, said it is worrisome that although African countries have achieved political independence, the countries have failed to achieve economic independence.
“Africa’s future relies on diversification of our production and transformation of our economy. Let us use our independence to deal with hunger, poverty, joblessness and diseases affecting people in our countries,” Lungu said.
He said African countries must embrace the African Union Agenda of 2063 in the process of transforming their economies.
During the celebrations, there were some eye-catching activities which included military parades, police displays, traditional dances from across the country, live band performances, comedy by Izeki and Jakobo and a friendly football match between Malawi and Uganda.
Malawi got her independence from Britain on July 6, 1964 and has had five presidents to date.
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