The Ministry of Local Government under the leadership of Ben Phiri as minister has allegedly proposed a plan that would require Malawian civil servants to work in their districts of origin.
The proposal, which has not yet been officially gazetted, is reportedly being discussed within the Ministry of Local Government. Sources familiar with the matter say the ministry believes that deploying civil servants to their home districts would help improve service delivery and accelerate local development.
According to reports, ministry officials have argued that civil servants working in their home areas are more likely to be committed to development projects, as they would be directly contributing to the progress of their own communities. The ministry has reportedly stated that such an arrangement could reduce delays and ensure that projects are completed on time.
Local media further report that the ministry has raised concerns about civil servants who frequently move from one local authority to another in search of employment. Officials are allegedly of the view that such movements disrupt continuity and negatively affect the implementation of development projects, resulting in stalled or incomplete initiatives.
However, the proposal has reportedly drawn criticism from political commentators and governance analysts. Some critics have described the idea as naked nepotism, warning that it could undermine merit-based deployment within the civil service.
According to some commentators, assigning civil servants based on their district of origin rather than professional qualifications risks dividing the country along regional and ethnic lines. They further argue that such a move could weaken national unity and compromise the neutrality of the civil service.
As of now, the government has not officially confirmed whether the proposal will be implemented, and it remains unclear how concerns regarding fairness, professionalism, and national cohesion would be addressed if the policy is adopted.
