PRESIDENT PETER MUTHARIKA’S STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS

INTRODUCTION

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am pleased to be here this morning to
preside over the official opening of the 45th Session of
Parliament and Provisional Budget Meeting; and as per
tradition during this period, deliver a statement on where we
stand as a nation as well as our plans for the future.

This is an exciting meeting of Parliament for a number of
reasons.

To begin with, it is the first meeting of Parliament since
Malawians participated in the first ever tripartite elections that
enabled them elect a President, Members of Parliament and
Councillors on 20th May, 2014.

Secondly, Mr. Speaker, Sir, we will be celebrating our Golden
Jubilee of independence on 6th July, 2014. As a nation, we
have come a long way through thick and thin. Although we
have registered many successes, we have also encountered
immense challenges. As a result, today, almost fifty years of
independence, Malawi remains a least developed country.

This meeting, therefore, sets the stage for our Golden Jubilee
as well as our development agenda for the next fifty years and
beyond. We need, as a Nation, to realise that this is a befitting
moment for us to look back and reflect on our successes and
challenges so that we can reposition ourselves for a great
future. I have no doubt that we will seize this moment to
reassert ourselves and act with greater determination and
vigour to achieve fundamental transformation of our country.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am fully aware that in the recent past,
Malawians have expressed dissatisfaction with some of the
governance and administrative systems and structures of our
country.

I have heard the concerns and share the dissatisfaction. I
therefore, wish to promise Malawians that the Democratic
Progressive Party (DPP) led Government is determined to put in
place systems and structures that will promote good
governance and transform the economy. In this regard, Mr.
Speaker, Sir, I am proud and delighted to report that the DPP
has a comprehensive manifesto which is consistent with our
people’s aspirations.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, DPP is a party that dreams in colour. I realize,
however, that our situation is such that dreaming alone is not
enough. Actual progress will only come about through actions
and not mere dreaming.

Government will, therefore, ensure that these dreams and
aspirations are always translated into implementable and
effective policies. We will continue from where we left in 2012
to fight poverty, under-development and economic and social
injustices that are still prevalent in our society.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the DPP-led Government still stands on the
pillars of prosperity, justice and security. With the support of
all Malawians, we will make Malawi a truly democratic and
progressive nation, for this is the wish of the nation. This is the
dream of our people.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is against this background that I have
decided to title my Address Transforming Our Country into a
Prosperous Nation with a Shared Vision.

But before I delve much into the speech, let me take this
opportunity to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the
Honourable Members of Parliament on your election to the
august House. I specially recognise and salute those
Honourable Members who are joining the House for the first
time. I wish you the best. I am however disheartened to learn
that the number of women Parliamentarians has reduced from

forty three to thirty. This is very unfortunate and retrogressive
to our efforts of achieving gender parity and equity in this
country.

I also wish to warmly congratulate you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, as
well as your two Deputies on being elected to your respective
distinguished positions. I have no doubt that, together, you will
faithfully and diligently discharge the duties expected of you.
Malawians expect this august House to serve them with
honour, selflessness, honesty and purpose.

Let me at this juncture, call upon the Honourable Members on
the Opposition side of the House to join hands with my
Administration to run the affairs of the state in a spirit of
cooperation, collaboration and complementarity.

I sincerely look forward to your unwavering support as we
begin to implement our national agenda and fully engage in the
transformation of our country. I regard your role as being vital
to our democracy and the journey towards prosperity. In fact,
Mr Speaker, Sir, our manifesto speaks about a better Malawi,
and that can only be achieved through collaboration and
working together by putting the people of Malawi first. They
matter the most, all of us are mere servants. I therefore call for
a new style of leadership, Servant-Leadership.

Tripartite Elections

Mr. Speaker, Sir and Honourable Members of this august
House, join me in congratulating all Malawians who took part
in the first ever tripartite elections. Despite the challenges
faced, the people of Malawi continued to observe peace, law
and order. We, as a people, should, therefore, be proud of the
manner in which we conducted ourselves during such a crucial
event in the history of our nation.

At this juncture, let me thank all those who contested in the
elections. As I stated in my inaugural speech, I pledge to work
with all political parties and independent members so that
together, we can move our country forward. It is time to roll up
our sleeves and begin to transform our country.

I would like also to express my sincere gratitude and
appreciation to our development partners and other
stakeholders for the assistance that they rendered to this
country throughout the whole electoral process. We do not take
their support for granted.

GOOD GOVERNANCE

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the mission of the DPP-led Government is to
instill self-confidence and a sense of socio-economic
independence in Malawians, by creating an environment that
is conducive to hard work, creating more sustainable jobs,
redistributing incomes and increasing the supply of quality
goods and services for the domestic and international markets.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, in order to achieve this mission, my
Administration firmly believes in the principles of Good
Governance which, among others, call for equitable allocation
and distribution of public resources for all people, especially
the vulnerable groups. In this respect, we will establish a
transparent, accountable and responsible Government in
which decision-making and power-sharing are exercised
through the will of the people.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, we will encourage local participation in
decision-making by mobilising and empowering the masses for
socio-economic development in their respective areas. I,
therefore, would like to urge all the newly elected councillors to
work hand-in-hand with the local people in designing and
implementing programmes aimed at improving their standard
of living.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, my Administration has noted, with great
concern, that national priorities in this country keep changing
to suit the political party in power. This has proved to be
detrimental to our country’s development. To ensure that
development projects continue, regardless of the political party
in power, my Administration will establish a Council with
statutory powers to guide long-term national decision-making.

Economic Governance

Mr. Speaker Sir, our Government will give special importance
to the design and implementation of sound macro-economic
policies as a critical factor to support good governance. There
will be an appropriate policy mix to enable the economy to
attain full recovery leading towards sustained growth and
development.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, we will create an enabling environment to
achieve four principal objectives: (a) attaining macro-economic
growth; (b) allocating resources more efficiently; (c) mobilizing
domestic and foreign resources to support economic growth;
and (d) reduction of public expenditure. This, Mr. Speaker, Sir,
will address the current internal disequilibrium in our
economy characterized by serious foreign exchange shortages,
unsustainable budget deficits and mounting domestic debt
service burdens.

More importantly, Mr. Speaker, Sir, my Administration will
follow the laws governing Public Finance Management.

Corporate Governance

Mr. Speaker, Sir, we will put in place policies that will restore
the private sector confidence in the economy and consequently
strengthen business enterprises to contribute more positively
to the socio-economic development of this country.

Democratic Governance

Rule of Law

Mr. Speaker, Sir, my Administration recognises that adherence
to the rule of law is necessary for the achievement of
sustainable and inclusive economic growth and development of
our country. In this respect, we will promote the supremacy
and respect for the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi. We
will further promote justice and a legal system that is
accessible, affordable and people-centred.

Zero Tolerance to Corruption

Mr. Speaker, Sir, corruption is evil as it deprives the people of
Malawi, particularly the poor, of their legitimate right to
economic prosperity by diverting resources meant for
socio-economic development into the pockets of a few greedy
individuals. It also scares away potential investors. My
Administration will, therefore, maintain zero tolerance to
corruption, fraud, theft and any other economic crime. There
will be no sacred cows! Indeed, there will be no untouchables!

Mr. Speaker, Sir, some of the measures which my
Administration will adopt to fight corruption include:__

.
prosecution of all public officers and private sector
individuals involved in the theft, fraud and
mismanagement of public resources;

.
enhancing the capacity of governance institutions
including the Auditor General’s Office, the Anti-
Corruption Bureau, the Financial Intelligence Unit and
the Public Accounts Committee;

.
further strengthening the financial management systems
and institutions for detection of fraud and theft; and

.
non-interference in procurement by depoliticising the
procurement process.

Cashgate Scandal

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the recent revelations of the Cashgate
Scandal in which unscrupulous individuals stole huge sums of
money from Government coffers brought to light serious laxity
in the adherence to laid down rules and regulations. To this
end, the DPP-led Government will put in place stringent
measures aimed at preventing a recurrence. In particular,
Government will enforce the existing rules and regulations so
that the management of public finances should be done within
the existing policy and legal framework.

Going forward, Mr. Speaker, Sir, as one way of decisively
dealing with the challenges of Cashgate and a means of
addressing the weaknesses identified in the Forensic Audit
Report by Baker Tilly of the United Kingdom, Government has
formulated a comprehensive action plan on public finance and
economic management. It has been developed to ensure a
shared vision and one plan for improving public finance
management systems. The action plan looks at short, medium
and long term measures which Government needs to
implement to prevent another Cashgate and avoid theft of
public funds. The action plan looks at all aspects of public
finance and economic management, including accounting,
internal controls, budgeting, procurement, disciplinary issues,
administrative reforms and capacity building needs.

Human Rights

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the DPP-led Government is fully committed to
the promotion and protection of human rights. Respect for
human rights contributes to the creation of an enabling
environment for people to realize their full potential in social,
cultural, economic and political development.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, history has taught us that a nation with
people who enjoy their full liberties will tremendously develop.
In this regard, my Administration will ensure that we adhere to
the Bill of Rights enshrined in the Republican Constitution, the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations
as well as all international human rights conventions to which
Malawi is a party.

We will also adopt a human rights based approach by, among
other things, promoting equal opportunities and choices and
recognizing each person’s inherent dignity and worth without
discrimination.

Public Safety and Security

Mr. Speaker, Sir, my Administration is aware that recent global
trends have posed a wide range of security threats to the
Government and people of Malawi. These threats range from
transnational organized crime, terrorist activities and natural
disasters. In this regard, we are committed to providing a safe
and secure environment conducive to the social, cultural,
economic and political development of our people.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am aware that sometimes our security
institutions do not perform their duties effectively and
efficiently due to resource constraints. To address the
challenges that our security institutions encounter,
Government will, among other things:__

.
enhance the capacity and professional competence of
security institutions to enable them respond adequately
to the security needs of the country;

.
allow the Malawi Police Service and the Malawi Defence
Force execute their mandates without political
interference; and

.
transform community policing into Citizen’s Police which
will be better equipped and trained in crime prevention.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government is concerned with the high influx
of illegal immigrants trekking into our country. To address this
challenge, we will intensify day and night patrols in all strategic
boundaries. Furthermore, we will put in place programmes
that will dissuade traditional leaders and their subjects from
harbouring and aiding illegal immigrants.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government will also establish a National
Security Council which will provide oversight on matters of
national security.

International Relations

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the DPP-led Government believes in fostering
international relations that can ably strengthen Malawi’s drive
towards a developmental state by embracing development
diplomacy.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, while maximizing the country’s comparative
advantages in line with the different but equal principle under
the law of nations, we will pursue people-centered
international relations that will translate into Malawi’s ability
to meaningfully participate in international trade.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, our Government will ensure that the economy
progresses towards self reliance and attracts primarily and
progressively aid packages which support investment,
productivity and long-term development projects.

Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, Sir, we will actively engage donors
in dialogue towards mutual goals that include embracing of

home-grown policies, doing away with one-size-fits-all
approaches, and adopting people-centred development
practices.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, we will establish and strengthen relations
with development partners from the West, the East, North and
South, alike. We will remain committed to the ideals of the
Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), the
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA),
the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN) and other
International Organisations where Malawi is a member.

Public Sector Management

The Civil Service

Mr. Speaker, Sir, as Honourable Members will agree, the
success of any administration, and indeed, the ability of a
government to efficiently deliver public services and enhance
the welfare of its citizenry largely depends on the dedication
and professionalism of the public service. In this regard, we will
reorganize the public service in a manner that will promote
professionalism, integrity, technical competence and efficiency.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Malawi Civil Service was once renowned
for its professionalism and dedication to duty. It is therefore,
regrettable that recently there has been laxity, indiscipline and
pre-occupation with selfish motives by a few individuals, which
led to the plunder of public resources through Cashgate. It is
now becoming clearer as to what really happened; and
therefore, Government will establish a corrupt-free Civil
Service. This will be done through full compliance with existing
public financial management rules, regulations and practices
so as to enhance the professionalism of the Civil Service. Our
aim, Mr. Speaker, Sir, is to restore the Civil Service to its past
glory.

We will make sure that the Civil Service is non-partisan and
serves the Government of the day. We will further ensure that
civil servants strictly adhere to the chain of command in
financial management. We will also ensure that no civil servant
is victimised because of change of Government.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, my Administration will walk the talk on
priority setting in this country, and as a start, we will, among
others, reduce:

.
the number of ministerial portfolios, including Deputy
Ministers, to 20;

.
the budgetary allocation for the maintenance of state
residences; and

.
the number of foreign missions abroad.

Public Service Appointments

The DPP-led Government will reduce concentration of power in
the presidency, especially as it relates to the appointment and
removal of heads of Governance Institutions and Parastatals.

Public Service Remuneration

Mr. Speaker, Sir, since this country attained independence, the
objectives of implementing public sector reforms have been to
strengthen and improve efficiency and effectiveness of all
branches of Government.

Considering that the quality of public service delivery depends
on the quality of the Civil Service, Mr. Speaker, Sir, my
Administration will implement reforms aimed at improving the
conditions of service and professionalism of our civil servants.
We will therefore, ensure that the Civil Service is well-trained,
professional, highly motivated, competent, corrupt-free and
well remunerated. More importantly, recruitment and
promotion will be purely based on merit and not on political
affiliation.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, my Administration will establish a Public
Service Remuneration Board, which will be responsible for the
harmonization of pay in the public service. It will be mandated
to remove the inequalities that exist in the system whereby

employees doing similar work at similar grades are
remunerated differently merely because they work for different
departments and agencies of the Government.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Section 8 of the Public Service Act states that
“The basis for remuneration of public officers shall be equal
pay for work of equal value and recognition for excellence in the
performance of their duties as determined by an objective
method of evaluation”. We will, therefore, aim at achieving
equal pay for equal work across the entire public service and
put in place a mechanism for recognizing good performance.
From the lowest to highest grade, training will be a prerequisite
in order to continuously raise the bar of excellence in
the Civil Service. In order to provide equal and quality services
to our people irrespective of their location, all civil servants
working in rural areas will be given incentives to encourage
them to continue providing efficient services to rural
communities.

MACRO-ECONOMIC POLICY REFORMS

Mr. Speaker, Sir, after 50 years of attaining our independence,
our economy is still fragile and marred by so many challenges.
As a nation, we are still considered as one of the poorest
countries in the world.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, experience has shown us that our
development journey has been that of a vicious cycle,
characterized by moments of brilliance, which have quickly
been superseded by periods of stagnation.

Our economy is currently performing poorly due to problems
that have emanated from fiscal slippages, among other factors.
Our development partners have already expressed grave
concerns over our poor public finance management and
economic governance, as evidenced by gross fiscal fraud, to the
extent that most of them have suspended their budget support
to Malawi.

Government’s immediate task is, therefore, to reverse this
gloomy and precarious trend. Government will, therefore,
design and implement sound macroeconomic policy reforms
that will transform the economy to attain full recovery and
achieve sustained inclusive economic growth and development.
Government will also endeavour to allocate resources
efficiently and create an enabling environment that allows the
country to reduce non productive public expenditures and
achieve positive and inclusive macro-economic growth, efficient
mobilisation and allocation of resources.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, our foreign exchange reserves are still far
from being adequate. As a nation, we are still being faced with
challenges to build up foreign exchange reserves to stabilize
the exchange rate and inflation. These are ills of our economy
that have to be addressed immediately. It will be critical for my
Administration to take stringent measures that will ensure that
stability in macroeconomic indicators such as interest rates,
inflation and exchange rates prevail in the economy.

To this end, Government will implement fiscal and monetary
policy reforms aimed at reducing and eventually eliminating
huge domestic borrowing, reducing balance-of-payments
deficits and lowering interest rates in order to improve our
domestic savings and investment financing.

We will implement a strict and disciplined fiscal policy on
recurrent expenditures and management of donor funds, as
provided by the law and international agreements.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, these efforts will restore private sector
confidence in the economy.

2014/2015 Budget Framework

Mr. Speaker, Sir, after a careful review of what has been
prepared so far, we find that the 2014/2015 Budget is far from
being ready. The work that has been done so far is not well
developed and the proposed budgetary allocations are either

illogical or conflicting with the DPP view points. Moreover,
there are a number of issues that need to be resolved before the
budget can be finalized, including consultations with the
general public, the academia, private sector, civil society
organizations, the Cabinet, the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) and donors. We also need to verify the stock of arrears
before the budget is finalized. We therefore, need more time to
analyze the various problems so that we can come up with a
budget that is more credible.

To this end, in accordance with Section 178 of the Malawi
Constitution, the Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and
Development will initially present a provisional budget for the
period July-October, 2014. We expect to present the
2014/2015 Budget in September, 2014 when outstanding
issues will have been resolved.

SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH

Agriculture and Food Security

Mr. Speaker, Sir, agriculture remains a key driver of our
economy. About 85 percent of the country’s population is
engaged in agricultural activities. The contribution of this
sector to GDP is currently at 30 percent and brings in over 80
percent of the country’s export earnings. My Administration
will, therefore, continue to prioritize the agriculture sector as a
basis for maintaining sustainable livelihoods and inclusive
economic growth.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government will continue to implement the
Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) to support maize
production by subsistence maize farmers. We are, however,
aware of the challenges faced in the implementation of the
Programme. To address the challenges, Government will
abolish the coupon system and put in place measures to
ensure that the subsidized inputs are made available to
subsistence maize farmers who deserve it.

Government will further institute reforms in the agricultural
sector to support viable agro-processing industries, while at
the same time increasing agriculture production through
increased investments in agriculture extension, research,
livestock production, horticulture, fish farming and irrigation
agriculture.

To achieve this, Government will, among others:

.
support rapid agricultural production by linking it with
industry so as to ensure adequate and reliable supplies
of raw materials to support our agro-processing
industries;

.
promote horticulture farming, processing and marketing
through the establishment of horticulture bulking
groups in rural areas who will be provided with cold room
storage facilities and processing equipment;

.
promote fish farming among smallholder farmers by
constructing fishponds and dams in rural areas;

.
promote community participation in livestock breeding
and multiplication; and

.
accelerate the restructuring of ADMARC to carry out
social and commercial functions separately with a view to
making it a viable and competitive institution that will no
longer rely on Government subvention.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government is aware of the need to diversify
agriculture exports in order to increase the economy’s
resilience to the impact of unstable prices in the global
economy and to achieve sustained inclusive economic growth
and development. In this regard, Government will promote:

.
a “basket of commodities” that will initially include
cotton, tobacco, sugar, tea, rice, paprika, cassava,
groundnuts, sunflower and macademia nuts;

.
cotton as a special crop through the establishment of an
Integrated Cotton Textiles Industry that will eventually
incorporate several industrial processes such as cotton
ginning, cotton spinning, cotton weaving, cotton fabric
printing and garment manufacturing; and

.
value addition to increase export earnings from tobacco
through manufacturing of cigarettes, pipe tobacco, snuff,
cigars and cigarillos.

Irrigation Development

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the irrigation sub sector contributes to the
economic growth of this country by supporting rain-fed
agricultural production thereby leading to the attainment of
both household and national food and income security.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, my Government will, in this respect,
accelerate the implementation of the “Green Belt” Initiative.

The Green Belt will stretch from Karonga all the way to Nsanje
and will entail irrigation of land of up to 20 kilometres from the
water bodies.

Under the Initiative, crops such as rice, maize, millet, potatoes,
cassava, beans, soya beans, wheat, lentils, sugarcane, cotton,
groundnuts and sunflower will be grown for export and
domestic consumption. To this effect, Government will provide
more rural farmers with treadle pumps, sprinklers, and
motorized pumps.

Mining

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Malawi is richly endowed with high value
mineral resources which constitute an important source of
wealth for development and foreign exchange for Malawi. The
contribution of this sector to the country’s GDP has risen from

3 per cent in 2009 to 10 per cent currently; but has the
potential to rise to 20 per cent by 2016 due to Malawi’s unique
mineral potential. Government will, therefore, prioritize the
effective exploration of these resources.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government is committed to the promotion of
the mining sector in the country. In this regard, we will
endeavour to provide an enabling environment for attracting
investments into the sector through the development of new
policy, legal and institutional frameworks that protect the long
term interests of the country.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, currently, there are a number of foreign
companies that are actively engaged in the exploration and
evaluation of various minerals in different parts of the country,
including rare earth metals, uranium, gold and titanium
bearing heavy mineral sands.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I wish to inform this august House that
Government, with support from the World Bank and the
European Union started carrying out a country-wide airborne
geophysical survey to identify areas with mineral potential and
provide readily available information to prospective investors in
the sector.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government will, in the coming financial
year, commence a Geological Mapping exercise of the whole
country, with support from the French Government. This will
lead to the production of new geological, mineral occurrence,
geochemical, metallogenic and seism-tectonic maps for our
country.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government will also ensure that in future,
mining contracts are properly negotiated to maximise benefits
for the country. In this regard, Government will establish an
independent contract negotiating unit in extractive resources.
Further, we will subscribe to the Extractive Industries
Transparency Initiative (EITI).

Tourism, Wildlife and Culture

Mr. Speaker, Sir, tourism, wildlife and culture have the
potential to significantly contribute towards the country’s
socio-economic development through increased foreign
exchange earnings, employment creation and the development
of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Despite
this, the country is unable to fully realise the potential of the
sector owing to, among other things, inadequate
infrastructure, non-aggressive promotion and marketing
strategies and stiff competition from other attractive tourist
destinations globally.

In view of this, Government will identify and develop areas of
tourist attraction where Malawi has a competitive advantage
over other countries in the region. We will also enter into
mutually benefiting partnerships with regional neighbours as
well as establish recreational centres in major cities and towns
of Malawi. Government will also develop the Bingu
International Conference Centre (BICC) into an office and
tourist park.

Industry, Trade and Private Sector Development

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government recognizes the important role
the private sector plays as an engine for economic growth and
a source of direct revenue and employment. However, the
business environment in Malawi has, in recent years
deteriorated due to some macroeconomic, security and
structural challenges. This has led to several economic
problems such as low volume of foreign direct investments, low
industrial output and unsustainable structural trade deficit,
among several others.

In view of this, Government will strive to address these
challenges by carrying out some regulatory and institutional
reforms aimed at addressing constraints affecting enterprise

development in the country. We will improve Malawi’s standing
on the Ease of Doing Business Index so as to make Malawi a
better investment destination.

We will also continue to implement the National Export
Strategy which was launched in December, 2012, and will be
implemented up to 2018. The Strategy provides a road map for
developing Malawi’s productive base to allow for both export
competitiveness and economic empowerment. Government is
determined to double exports in the next five years.

In addition, Government will:__

.
facilitate the promotion of quality in local products and
promote the Best-Buy-Malawian campaign;

.
empower Malawians to venture into tangible businesses
through deliberate economic empowerment strategies;

.
support Malawians to enter into joint ventures with
foreign investors;

.
establish a “one-stop” investment centre to promote and
encourage increased investment in the productive
sectors especially in agriculture, mining, manufacturing
and tourism; and

.
strengthen and develop viable financial institutions that
will undertake trade financing so that every product
made in Malawi finds a market either locally or abroad.

Natural Resources and Environmental Management

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government recognizes that conservation
and protection of the environment and natural resources is
important in promoting sustainable economic growth and
poverty reduction.

In view of the challenges that natural resources are facing in
Malawi due to competing needs of a growing population,
industrial development, physical infrastructure and wildlife,
Government will:

.
continue to develop measures aimed at promoting
cleaner energy practices that will help to protect,
conserve and restore natural resources and the
environment;

.
cooperate with neighbouring countries to combat
pollution and illegal dumping of toxic wastes;

.
cooperate with international and regional institutions so
as to develop more effective programmes for the
management of natural resources;

.
continue to comply with local, regional and international
instruments in the management, preservation and
protection of natural resources and the environment;
and

.
intensify reforestation programmes by promoting the
planting of one tree per year by each citizen for the next
five years at the end of which Malawi will have at least 50
million new trees.

Employment and Labour

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government is concerned with soaring levels
of unemployment in Malawi. My Administration will, therefore,
implement a carefully selected mix of economic, fiscal,
monetary, trade and investment policies in order to promote
the creation of productive and decent employment.
Investments in the productive sector of the economy will
continue to be prioritized as the basis for creating new jobs.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government will encourage self-employment
through the creation and empowerment of Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, my Administration has elevated the Ministry
of Labour to a key ministry because we believe it can play a
critical role in the creation of decent jobs in the country. It is
therefore, critical that the Ministry of Labour takes the lead in
the planning and creation of new jobs to enable the education
and training sector respond with appropriate skills
development in order to meet human resource requirements in
both the public and private sectors.

Integrated Rural Development

Mr. Speaker, Sir, a few years ago, the DPP-led Government
embarked on the creation of new rural growth centres with
facilities that are usually available in urban centres including
tarred roads, piped water, electricity, banks, post offices,
hospitals, secondary schools and trading centres, to facilitate
rural development in the country. Under the programme, many
Malawians in rural areas have been given the opportunity to
access better information, education and grow their
businesses.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, my Administration will, therefore, continue to
create new rural growth centres and rural based enterprises,
develop and strengthen rural co-operatives and facilitate the
establishment of rural factories to spearhead rural
development.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

Mr. Speaker, Sir, infrastructure development contributes to the
realization of sustainable economic development for Malawi.
Between 2004 and 2012, the DPP-led Government initiated
and launched key infrastructure development projects which

include the Parliament Building, the President Hotel, the Bingu
International Conference Centre, the Presidential Villas, the
Karonga-Chitipa road, the Malawi University of Science and
Technology (MUST), the National Stadium and the Kapichila
Power Station.

Energy

Mr. Speaker, Sir, availability of reliable, sustainable and
affordable energy, whether in the form of electricity, liquid fuels
or biomass, is a necessary precondition for economic growth,
social development and for the survival of all human societies.

In recognition of this fundamental link to economic growth,
social development and human survival, Government is
committed to the search for alternative sustainable energy
sources and initiating energy projects that are cost effective
and centred on the priority needs of the people and investors.
We will, therefore, encourage Public Private Partnerships
(PPPs) in the energy sector and:__

.
introduce viable alternative sources of energy such as
solar, wind and biogas;

.
provide new incentives and opportunities to people in the
rural areas to use electricity while growing more trees;

.
enhance efficiency of the services of the Electricity
Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) by separating its
functions into electricity production, distribution and
marketing which will be run by autonomous institutions;
and

.
encourage private sector players to invest in the energy
sector.

Transport Infrastructure

Mr. Speaker, Sir, good transport infrastructure is vital for our
development as it eases mobility of people and carriage of
goods from one place to another. Government will therefore,
give special attention to all transport sector initiatives as a
catalyst for agricultural development, industrialisation,
tourism and trade.

Road Transport

On road transport infrastructure, Mr. Speaker, Sir,
Government is committed to the resuscitation and completion
of construction of a number of road projects that include:

.
Mzimba_Mzalangwe Road, Mzuzu_Nkhata Bay Road,
Jenda_Embangweni_Edingeni Road, and Mzuzu city
roads in the Northern Region;

.
Lilongwe Old Airport_Kasiya_Santhe Road, Lumbadzi_
Dowa_Chezi Road, Dzaleka_Ntchisi_Malomo Road and
Lilongwe city roads in the Central Region, and;

.
Zomba_Jali_Phalombe Road, Thyolo_Thekerani_Muona_
Bangula Road and Blantyre city roads, including the
Chipembere Highway in the Southern Region.

Furthermore, Government will promote the construction of a
new and comprehensive network of rural access roads and
trunk roads to serve rural areas; and upgrading, maintaining
and repairing of roads and bridges across the country.

Water Transport

Mr. Speaker, Sir, on water transport, Government will
operationalise the Nsanje World Inland Port once the feasibility
study of the Shire_Zambezi Waterway Project is completed. The
opening of the Port will cut transportation costs of imports and

exports by 60 percent. It will also support national
development programmes and promote inter-state links with
Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the rest of the
world.

Rail Transport

Mr. Speaker, Sir, under the rail transport sub-sector,
Government will soon embark on the rehabilitation of existing
rail lines and develop new railway networks for integration with
regional networks. We will harmonise the railway policy,
administration practices and procedures to ensure that railway
networks are compatible with the other modes of transport.

Air Transport

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government is poised to develop the air
transport sub-sector. Government will, among other
developments, continue upgrading and maintaining Kamuzu
and Chileka International Airports; and construct international
airports in Mangochi, Nsanje, Mzuzu and Karonga.

Water Development

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government recognises that water
development and the provision of clean and potable water is
key to the socio-economic development of the country.
Government will therefore ensure that clean and potable water
is available to all Malawians in both urban and rural areas.
Government will also construct five multipurpose dams across
the country to make water resources readily available for
multiple usage.

Information and Communication

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government is aware that well developed
information and communication infrastructure is essential to

the development of the country. In this respect, Government
will ensure that affordable and quality communication services
are available countrywide. My Administration will, therefore,
ensure that our ICT infrastructure is modern and conforms to
international standards.

Land

Mr. Speaker, Sir, land is an important factor of production
which must be prudently utilised. However, Government is
aware that the land sector faces several challenges, including
high demand for land owing to rapid population growth; high
rate of urbanisation; poor land practices; and insufficient
public awareness on land related laws.

My Administration will, therefore, among other things:

.
advocate for the enactment of all land-related Bills that
were submitted to Parliament;

.
improve land management and use for national
development;

.
undertake a land profiling study of the whole country in
order to identify availability of land for various uses; and

.
conduct comprehensive public awareness campaigns on
existing land laws.

Housing

Mr. Speaker, Sir, every Malawian citizen has the right to decent
housing. In this regard, my Administration will subsidize prices
of iron sheets and cement so that people can afford to build
their own houses. We will also encourage construction of
low-cost, durable and habitable housing units by Government
as well as the private sector to be sold to the people of Malawi
who can afford.

Furthermore, the Malawi Housing Corporation will be
organised to directly assist poor individuals to acquire low-
interest loans from building societies, commercial banks and
other lending institutions. There will be a more vigorous policy
for rehabilitation, development and maintenance of all
Government houses and buildings.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Public Health

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the public health sector is very important in
the social and economic development of our country. However,
as you might be aware, the health delivery system has, in the
past few years, faced enormous challenges including non
availability of essential drugs, medical supplies and facilities.

My Administration will, therefore, improve the health sector to
ensure efficient and effective delivery of health services in the
country. In this regard, Government will:__

.
ensure that all districts in Malawi have adequate medical
facilities, including primary health care within a
reasonable walking distance from people’s homes;

.
end critical shortages of staff, medicine and drugs in all
hospitals and clinics across the country;

.
introduce new mobile medical facilities in the rural areas;

.
promote new research in medical science and technology
in public universities and other research laboratories so
that medicine and treatment of patients conform to
international standards; and

.
intensify programmes aimed at managing HIV and AIDS
and preventing its further spread.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, for the first time, Government will introduce
a Health Insurance Scheme for all public servants while
exploring possibilities of health insurance for all Malawians.

Education and Human Development

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government recognises the role that
education plays in fostering innovation and creativity.
However, education standards in the country have plummeted
due to a number of factors, including inadequate teaching and
learning materials, insufficient classroom blocks and a high
pupil-teacher ratio.

To address these challenges, Government will, among other
things:__

.
provide adequate teaching and learning materials in all
public schools;

.
construct and rehabilitate school blocks and girls
hostels;

.
promote learning of science, technology and technical
subjects in our schools;

.
provide computer laboratories in all public secondary
schools; and

.
revise the terms and conditions of service for teachers to
make the profession attractive and competitive.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, with regard to human capital development
Government will:

.
design basic education in a manner that it produces
youth who are able to engage in trade, business,
production and self employment;

.
create a Special Child and Youth Rehabilitation Fund to
enable children and youth from impoverished families

have access to vocational and technical training that
equips them to become self reliant and entrepreneurs;
and

.
introduce innovative community colleges that will make
use of existing structures in all the districts to provide
practical knowledge and skills relevant to our economy
and for self-employment.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the DPP-led Government will fulfill its
promise on new universities and colleges. In addition, Mr.
Speaker, Sir, Government will, in the next five years add
10,000 new students to the Polytechnic, Mzuzu University,
Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources,
Chancellor College and various Technical, Entrepreneurial,
Vocational, Education and Training (TEVET) Programmes. Out
of the 10,000 students, 6,000 students will pursue degree
programmes in mining, geology, mineral processing,
metallurgy, electronic engineering, telecommunications,
construction technology, bio-medics, education, tourism, just
to mention a few; while 4,000 rural youths will pursue various
TEVET programmes.

Youth Development

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government recognises the importance of the
youth in national development. In this respect, Government
will strive to effectively harness the potential of the youth and
equip them with knowledge and skills necessary for their full
participation in the social, cultural, economic and political
development of the country.

Specifically, the youth will be empowered through the following
initiatives:

.
establishment of a National Youth Development Service
(NYDS) to develop skills for the youth to enable them to
be self-reliant;

.
empowerment of the youth to articulate their own needs
through the formation of area, district and national
youth organizations;

.
establishment of new vocational and business training
centres for vendors; and

.
creation of new opportunities for soft loans to enable the
youth to start their own businesses.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, these initiatives will encourage our youth to
develop a mentality towards non-white collar jobs and be
prepared for self-employment and entrepreneurship.

Science and Technology

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the DDP-led Government is aware that there
has not been a deliberate policy for developing science and
technology for macroeconomic growth in our country. We will
therefore give very high priority to locally-based research
programmes and adaptation and utilization of science and
technology specifically designed to convert our agricultural
primary commodities, minerals and other natural resources
into new wealth.

Women and Development

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the DPP-led Government is committed to
gender parity, women empowerment and upholding of women’s
rights as a prerequisite to poverty reduction and sustainable
development.

However, Government is concerned with the continued
marginalisation and under-representation of women in our
development process despite numerous efforts being made to
uplift their status and improve their representation in the
decision making positions of our country.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, my Administration is, therefore, determined
to promote the status of women through affirmative action,
empowerment initiatives and skills development.

Persons with Disabilities

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I wish to re-affirm Government’s commitment
to promote the quality of life of persons with disabilities and
ensure that they fully participate in the social, cultural,
economic and political development of the country. In this
regard, my Administration will:__

.
remove all forms of discrimination against people with
disabilities, both in the public and private sector, in
order to promote their right to social protection to enable
them benefit from economic growth, development and
prosperity; and

.
expedite the finalisation of the Disability Policy to ensure
effective implementation of the Disability Act.

The Elderly

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Government considers the elderly as
important members of our society who deserve special
attention. Government will, therefore, introduce a new culture
to enable the elderly feel useful and appreciated and be able to
impart their accumulated wealth of knowledge and
experiences, specifically to younger generations and society in
general, so as to preserve our tradition and heritage. Further,
my Administration will continue to adopt special measures to
provide the elderly with adequate medical facilities, clothing,
food and other forms of social support within their own
communities.

Media, Civil Society Organizations and Non-Governmental
Organisations

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Non-
Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the Media play an
important role in the economic and social development of our
country. In recognition of their role, Government will
endeavour to motivate the CSOs and NGOs to meaningfully
complement Government’s work. To this end, Government will:

.
review the NGO law to facilitate, and not stifle, their
contribution in the development of the country;

.
expedite the process to enact the Access to Information
Bill into law;

.
ensure that Malawi Communications Regulatory
Authority (MACRA) and the Malawi Broadcasting
Corporation (MBC) are professional and report to
Parliament annually as required by law; and

.
continue to create a conducive environment for freedom
of speech and freedom of the press.

Disaster Risk Management

Mr. Speaker, Sir, disasters are becoming a common occurrence
due to the impacts of climate change and environmental
degradation, among other factors. Government will, therefore,
put in place disaster risk management measures to enhance
our preparedness to respond to disasters.

We will strengthen our early warning systems in order to
enhance preparedness and timely response to disasters.
Furthermore, Government will expedite the review of the
Disaster Preparedness and Relief Act to guide in the
management of disasters and disaster risks. We will work with
development partners in planning, implementing, monitoring
and evaluating programmes aimed at reducing the risks of
disasters.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like to assure the
people of Malawi that my Administration will work tirelessly to
deliver on its promises. It is sad to note that after 50 years of
independence, a large proportion of our people still live in
abject poverty. The majority of our youth remain jobless; many
of our people do not know where their next meal will come
from; and our infrastructure leaves a lot to be desired.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, we want to have a country where our youth
have more paid employment, self-employment and
entrepreneurship opportunities; where everyone has food at
their table; where our people have decent accommodation; a
country with modern infrastructure; where no one lives below
the poverty line; and where the quality of life is high.

I wish to assure this august House that Government will do
everything possible to ensure that Malawians live fulfilled and
dignified lives. The DPP-led Government is determined to lay
solid foundations and put effective systems in place.

We will reprioritise and allocate resources to productive areas
with a view to promoting sustainable and inclusive economic
growth. We will overhaul our public service systems to ensure
effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of services. This will
help us realise well-planned and comprehensive development
that guarantees a brighter future for our beloved nation.

To achieve this, Mr. Speaker, Sir, we must all strive for unity of
purpose. I strongly believe that, together, we can turn around
the plight of the people of Malawi. We can make Malawi a
nation of endless opportunities and a better place for everyone.
It will not happen overnight, but, with dedication and hard
work, we can transform our country from poverty to prosperity.

I, therefore, call upon Malawians from all sectors of our society,
namely: the public service, private sector, non-governmental

organisations, the civil society, the media, traditional leaders,
religious leaders and members of all political parties to join me
in transforming our economy for a better Malawi.

At this juncture, Mr. Speaker, Sir, I wish to express my sincere
gratitude to the people of Malawi for their spirit of hard work
and dedication. I also wish to acknowledge and appreciate the
contribution of our development and cooperating partners
towards the development of our country.

The DPP guarantees remain the same, Mr. Speaker, Sir, that
we will work with, and for, all people of Malawi regardless of
their geographical regions of origin, race, creed, or colour so as
to develop one nation. We will work together for the common
good of all our people.

With these remarks, Mr. Speaker, Sir, I now have the singular
honour and privilege to declare the 45th Session of Parliament
and the July-October, 2014 Provisional Budget Meeting
officially open.

May the Almighty God bless Malawi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir.