Government has drawn a red line on corruption, threatening to arrest and fire public officials who stand in the way of Malawi’s development.
Local Government Minister Ben Malunga Phiri said officials who abuse their positions must face the consequences, warning that corruption will not be tolerated as the country pushes to improve service delivery.
Phiri was speaking on Tuesday in Mchinji during the launch of Malawi’s 2026–2036 National Decentralisation Strategy, where he criticised what he described as years of deception that left citizens celebrating achievements without meaningful benefits.
“Any officials involved in corruption and derailing the country’s development will be arrested and dismissed,” Phiri warned.
He said decentralisation must go beyond promises and deliver tangible improvements in people’s lives, with public resources used for their intended purposes.
Meanwhile, UNICEF Country Representative Penelope Campbell challenged government and local councils to turn the strategy into practical results, stressing that public spending must make a difference in communities.
“Public resources must translate into concrete results for children and all Malawians,” Campbell said.
She urged authorities to ensure the strategy improves access to essential services and creates development opportunities for communities across the country.
The 10-year strategy seeks to strengthen decentralisation as part of Malawi’s long-term development ambitions under Vision 2063.
It was launched under the theme, “Deepening Decentralisation in Malawi: Gateway to Robust Political and Socio-Economic Development by 2063,” with support from UNICEF, Ireland and the European Union.
The strategy places local councils at the centre of efforts to deliver public services and ensure development reaches communities beyond major urban centres.