The country’s author, systems entrepreneur and former United Nations development professional Nthanda Manduwi took advantage of the 62nd Independence Day celebrations to unveil seven books.
The lessons series books on Malawi’s Independence Day as a contribution to national reflection on development, institutions, industry and Malawi’s future were served to the nation yesterday.
The seven books are Lessons, Beggars in Suits, Systemic Nonsense, Impossible Economies, So Wrong for So Long, We Are Still at War and a New Normal.
Manduwi said Independence Day is a moment to celebrate but was quick to point out that it should also be a time to think.
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“Sixty two years after Independence, Malawi has made progress, but we are still asking many of the same questions about industry, institutions, jobs, education, technology and development,” she said.
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Manduwi said the seven books are part of national reflection hence putting them out on the market on Independence Day.
“These are not just books about development, they are books about what we have learned, what we have refused to learn and what we must build differently,” she said.
Manduwi recalls that in 2022, she was selected as one of the 18 professionals out of 38,709 applicants to join UNDP.
“I worked as an Evaluation Analyst and Knowledge Management Specialist with the Independent Evaluation office in New York in United States of America and so, this work in a way is a continuation of that role,” she said.
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She said that the seven book lessons series reflects on development, institutions, power, failure and the future.
“It speaks first to young professionals entering international development, then moves into elite capture, institutional dysfunction, economic history, bad ideas, modern power and finally the question of what comes next,” Manduwi said.
Across the series, the Ntha Foundation founder said she is asking one core question as to if we already have more evidence, technology and global knowledge than any generation before us.
“Why do so many systems still fail to deliver for ordinary people?
Lessons is close to my heart because it speaks to young people out there,” she said.
Manduwi said she hopes people take the books as an invitation to think seriously and boldly.
“We cannot keep diagnosing the same problems every Independence Day and then return to the same habits.
Malawi needs industry, capable institutions, technological readiness, honest leadership and a generation willing to build beyond slogans,” she said.
Manduwi added that these books are her contribution to the conversation.
“They are not the final word, but I hope they help open a more serious one,” she said.
Manduwi, who recently made the list of the first 10 Africa Big Bets Fellows, is currently building Q2 Systems, a company focused on robotics, autonomous systems, infrastructure, agriculture and logistics for constrained environments.
Meanwhile, Manduwi has said that proceeds from the books will support Ntha Foundation programmes and that free copies will be made available between now and the end of August.
