MALAWI CONGRESS PARTY MANIFESTO 2019-2024

MOTTO Build a New Malawi on the foundation of a Democratic Developmental State powered by the Chakwera Super Hi 5

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abbreviations and Acronyms ii Acknowledgement Iii Vision, Mission and Chakwera SUPER Hi 5 Leadership Philosophy 01 Message from the President 04 MCP Key Promises and Commitments At a Glance 07

1. SETTING THE CONTEXT 10

2. GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 15 2.1 Public Sector Reforms 15 2.2 Decentralization and Governance 16 2.3 Corruption, Governance and Development 17 2.4 Human Rights, Democracy and Development 18 2.5 Law, Justice and Security 19 2.6 National Governance Architecture 20

3. ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT 23 3.1 Economic Management and Development 23 3.2 Agriculture Transformation and Food Security 27 3.5 Trade, Commerce and Industrial Development 35 3.6 Mining and Resource Governance 37 3.7 Tourism 39

4. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 41 4.1 Education 41 4.2 Health 44 4.3 Water and Sanitation 45 4.4 Gender Equality and Social Inclusion 45 4.5 Social Protection 47 4.6 Youth Development 48

5. INFRUSTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT 50 5.1 Road Transport Network 50 5.2 Rail Network 51 5.3 Water Transport 52 5.4 Air Transport 53 5.5 Information Communication Technoogy 54 5.6 Urban Development and Planning 55

6. HOMELAND SECURITY AND FOREIGN POLICY 57 6.1 Dynamic Homeland Security 57 6.2 Foreign Policy and International Relations 60

7. OUR APPEAL AND PROMISE 63

MCP MANIFESTO i 2019-2024 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

ACB Anti-Corruption Bureau ADMARC Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation AVM African Mining Vision CHAM Christian Health Association of Malawi CMS Comprehensive Mining Strategy CMV Country Mining Vision COMESA Common Market for Southern and Eastern Africa CSOs Civil Society Organizations DPP Democratic Progressive Party DRIMP District Roads Improvement and Maintenance Programme ECD Early Childhood Development EEF Economic Empowerment Fund EU European Union FISP Farm Input Subsidy Programme FSPs Financial Service Providers GDP Gross National Product HIPC Highly Indebted Poor Countries HSAs Health Surveillance Assistants ICT Information and Communication Technology MBC Malawi Broadcasting Corporation MCP Malawi Congress Party MPC Malawi Pharmaceutical Company NPC National Planning Commission NYS National Youth Service PAYE Pay as you Earn RBM Reserve Bank of Malawi SADC Southern Africa Development Community SMEs Small and Medium Enterprises SNLCs Special Needs Learning Centres TAZARA Tanzania Zambia Railway US United States WDR World Development Report

MCP MANIFESTO ii 2019-2024 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

he Malawi Congress Party National topical issues was pivotal in ensuring that the Executive Committee (NEC) wishes to Manifesto is inclusive, comprehensive and Tacknowledge the support and cooperation technically sound. All parties consulted were it received from different stakeholders in the quite generous with their time and provided development of its Manifesto 2019-2024. useful insights that made the delivery of this MCP is grateful to all stakeholders, including document possible. MCP membership, the farmers, civil society organisations, business leaders, people with Finally, MCP acknowledges the clear leadership albinism, and development cooperating partners and guidance provided by its Directorate of towards the development of this blue print. Economic Affairs on the strategic direction to be undertaken by MCP in running the affairs of The expert opinion of those consulted on specific government as spelled out in this Manifesto.

MCP MANIFESTO iii 2019-2024 VISION, MISSION & LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY

OUR VISION A new and progressive Malawi built on the foundation of a capabale democratic developmental state for the benefit of all Malawians.

OUR MISSION To be an agent of change and transformation that serves Malawians in all spheres of life to fully realize their God-given potential.

LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY MCP leadership philosophy will be anchored by the Chakwera SUPER HI 5.

MCP MANIFESTO 01 2019-2024 VISION, MISSION & LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY LAZARUS CHAKWERA PRESIDENT OF THE MALAWI CONGRESS PARTY

MCP MANIFESTO 03 2019-2024 MESSAGEMESSAGE FROM FROM THE THE PRESIDENT PRESIDENT

feel very privileged to present the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and myself to you Malawians with a sense of enthusiasm and expectation. This is a very important year for us as a nation because Ithe General Elections of May 21, 2019 place us all in the valley of decision. There is no doubt that despite our diversity, we are all united by the desire to make Malawi a better home for ourselves and generations to come. It is against this backdrop that I would like to assure you that the MCP, under my leadership, is painfully aware of the damage done to state institutions over the last two decades, effectively rendering them incapable of delivering the transformation you long for. It is in response to this crisis of governance and the suffering it perpetuates that I and the MCP now stand ready to deliver national transformation on the foundation of a capable democratic developmental state. Only by overhauling the prevailing and failing governance model with its inherent contradictions and vulnerabilities and replacing it with a capable democratic developmental state can the structural transformation and inclusive development you demand be delivered. Only on this strong institutional foundation can we radically reduce the incidence of poverty and inequality within the next five years and set our feet firmly on the path to eliminating it altogether.

The decision is on all of us. The message I have heard from Malawians of all walks of life over the past five years has been very clear: “The era of making false starts and false promises for progress and prosperity ends now.” Malawians are tired of it, because they can see that every sector is in a state of flux. The evidence of this is ubiquitous, whether it is the operational crises in the health sector; or the criminally low and declining standards in the education sector; or the agriculture sector’s incapacity to guarantee food security and sufficiency to feed ourselves; or the sub-standard infrastructure now masquerading as development; or the collapse of urban planning and land use management regimes; or the rampant levels of corruption, fraud and theft in the public sector; or the business environmental realities crippling the private sector’s capacity to end youth unemployment. It would be understandable if these open sores were created by war or natural disaster, but we must now accept not only that we have done this to ourselves by entrusting our government to leaders with neither vision nor commitment to service, but that we ourselves must now disabuse ourselves of this error by voting for true change.

I, therefore, appeal to you to vote for an MCP government. For nearly three decades, you have tried the rest, and their failure to govern has led us to this present crisis. To be sure, they have mastered the art of making beautiful promises which are, as a matter of practice, never fulfilled. As a case in point, the current Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government has failed to fulfil the 76 promises it made in 2014. By contrast, MCP has a proven track record of running the affairs of state in a manner that benefits all Malawians. The progress and prosperity realized under the first MCP government continue to be of service to Malawians to this day, a lasting symbol of our reputation as a party that knows how to bring capable Malawians together to run a performing government. When this legacy of masterful management of state affairs is combined with the institutional and democratic reforms the party has enacted since the time I took the helm in 2013, as well as the CHAKWERA SUPER Hi5 Agenda that offers a leap forward for our country, there can be no doubt that ours is now the best platform for national transformation, a government that works for you regardless of your standing in society.

A vote for me as your next President means that MCP will hit the ground running and start delivering

MCP MANIFESTO 04 2019-2024 results from day one. As you will note in this Manifesto, ours is a vision to BUILD A NEW MALAWI on the foundation of a capable democratic developmental state. Here we clearly outline what the nuts and bolts are of this capable democratic developmental state we propose to create in order to turn the country’s development situation around in the shortest possible time. This Manifesto is a well-thought-out recipe that will take Malawi away from the precipice of economic collapse to the fertile soils of growth, progress and prosperity. We will transform Malawi, and this Manifesto is our blueprint, a product of a comprehensive and deeply reflective diagnosis of Malawi’s development predicament.

To that end, this Manifesto distinguishes and elaborates five priority areas, which will be critical in spearheading Malawi’s turnaround from the abyss of stagnation to growth, progress and prosperity. These areas include Public Administration and Governance; Economic Growth and Development; Social Development; Infrastructure Development; and Homeland Security and Foreign Policy. The MCP is ready. I am ready. You are ready. In fact, we have all now been ready for some time to usher in an MCP government that will serve you so that together we can write the next chapter of Malawi’s development history, a chapter we will all be proud of as a nation.

These five priority areas have been identified in sync with Agenda 2030 at the global leveland Agenda 2063 at the continental level, since these development frameworks have been instrumental in framing the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) III, which is the country’s medium- term development planning framework. These internationally and locally accepted yardsticks have meaningfully informed and inspired this Manifesto. This is because MCP believes that any development agenda that exists and operates in isolation from the developmental pursuits of continental and global partnerships runs the risk of ignoring the lessons of the past, disrupting the progress being made presently, and short-circuiting the strategic opportunities available in the immediate and eventual future. Our quest as Malawians for a nation characterized by good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice, rule of law, and people-driven development is a quest we have for and share with all Africans, whether young or old, male or female, urban or rural. As such, this Manifesto springs from the conviction that while a new Malawi must be germinated and cultivated by Malawians, the shade and fruit thereof must be of such abundance as to nourish the hopes and aspirations of all Africans.

Naturally, you will have already noted that the five priority areas outlined herein correspond seamlessly with the values of the CHAKWERA SUPER Hi5 that I have been and will continue articulating in my engagements with Malawians. To demonstrate, you will notice that my advocacy of the Hi5 pillar of Servant Leadership stems from this Manifesto’s prioritization of Public Administration; my commitment to the Hi5 pillar of Uniting Malawi stems from this Manifesto’s prioritization of inclusive Social Development and shared Infrastructure Development; my Hi5 economic programs to ensure we are Prospering Together stem from this Manifesto’s policies for Economic Growth and Development; my Hi5 declaration of war against theft and pilferage to move the goal of Ending Corruption beyond political rhetoric stems from this Manifesto’s unapologetic commitment to Governance; and my Hi5 modelling of an uncompromising submission to the Rule of Law stems from this Manifesto’s promise to handle both home and foreign affairs in a manner that safeguards our Homeland’s Security and Sovereignty. Contrary to cursory analyses, The CHAKWERA SUPER Hi5 is not a haphazardly employed mnemonic, but the fuel for energizing and galvanizing all Malawians to join hands in implementing this Manifesto. In short, this is more than an invitation for you to vote in an MCP

MCP MANIFESTO 05 2019-2024 government and for me as your next President, which I humbly ask you to, but is also a rallying call for all of us to work together in creating a capable democratic developmental state and using it to BUILD A NEW MALAWI.

God Bless the Malawi Nation!

LAZARUS CHAKWERA PRESIDENT OF MALAWI CONGRESS PARTY LILONGWE, MALAWI 9th March, 2019

MCP MANIFESTO 06 2019-2024 MCP KEY PROMISES AND COMMITMENTS AT A GLANCE

GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC • Introduce universal Farm Input Subsidy ADMINISTRATION Program to spur agricultural productivity as a key contributing factor to a minimum • Run a corruption free, efficient, effective annual economic growth rate of 6% for the and responsive government anchored in the next 10 years. culture of rule of law and constitutionalism. • Introduce the production, value addition and • Establish special Anti-Corruption Courts to marking of industrial and medicinal hemp in clear the backlog of outstanding corruption Malawi. cases and expedite the conclusion of similar cases going forward. • Revitalize the operations of the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation • Bring dignity to the presidency through a (ADMARC) through a comprehensive review culture of servant leadership that will make of its mandate, governance, management, the presidency the primary driving force for and recapitalization to re-establish its market service, change and transformation. network across the country. • Undertake a comprehensive audit to develop • Change the fiscal year to run from 1st April fit-for-purpose organizational structures that to 31st March in order to align it with the perform their functions effectively. country’s agricultural season. • Ensure that the President appears • Review all existing tax and interest rate before Parliament to answer the people’s policies and legislation to ensure the net questions relating to his office for the effect of spurring productivity, investment, sake of transparency and accountability in and job creation is prioritized and fast- government affairs. tracked. • Make it a practice for the President to work • Deal with electricity blackouts within the from the Capital Hill office on a regular first year of taking government, targeting basis. to generate at least 2000 megawatts of • Implement service level agreements for electricity within the next five years. every government ministry and department • Finalize the national climate change policy as a basis for holding office bearers framework and implement priority actions accountable to Malawians. that have been identified for increasing ECONOMIC GROWTH AND resilience to climate change. DEVELOPMENT SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT • Raise the minimum wage from MK 25,000 to MK 50,000 and the zero-rated Pay as • End the abduction and killing of people with You Earn (PAYE) tax from K 35,000 to MK albinism by treating these crimes as capital 100,000 to ensure working Malawians have offences punishable by death without the a dignified living. option for clemency. • Set up a bank to concentrate on giving • Implement the National Action Plan for credit to the youth and women to increase protecting persons with albinism and their access to and full participation in the introduce social cash transfers for them to country’s mainstream economic processes. have a dignified way of life.

MCP MANIFESTO 07 2019-2024 • Ensure that no Malawian dies in hospital gender imbalance in the employment and due to negligence, or unhygienic practices, appointment of women in decision-making or lack and mismanagement of basic health positions. care facilities. • Establish a National Truth and • Abolish the discriminatory quota system of Reconciliation Commission to facilitate a selecting students for tertiary education, nationwide process of addressing prevailing improve terms of service for teachers, historical wounds and charting a united way and computerize secondary and tertiary forward. education. INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT • Reintroduce the Junior Certificate of Education as a strategy to monitor and • Practice transparency and accountability improve students’ academic progress and in the procurement and administration of performance during their secondary school contractors to ensure value for public money education. for all investments. • Introduce a National Youth Service (NYS) • Establish modern bus terminals in every and Jobs4Youth Program that offers district across the country and introduce vocational skills training to all out-of-school city lines and the Futran System to address youth. urban transportation problems. • Construct a state-of-the-art national netball • Protect Malawian ownership of land by complex capable of hosting international ensuring that no foreigners own land in competitions to fast tract our 10-year goal to Malawi. become the number one netballing country • Repossess and redistribute all land that has in the world. been fraudulently allocated or that remains • Enforce and promote the 2013 Gender idle and undeveloped beyond the specified Equality Act as the basis for redressing the development period.

MCP MANIFESTO 08 2019-2024 • Ensure more coordinated planning and • Improve the terms of service and policing development of urban areas and enforce standards for the Malawi Police Service and quality and zoning controls and standards increase the presence of police officers in for all developments in cities. rural communities to enhance law and order. • Launch a bold infrastructure expansion • Strengthen border posts in all border areas project aimed at doubling the tarred road to stamp out illegal immigration, illegal network, modernizing cities, and building imports and exports, human trafficking, and new airports, houses, bridges, and schools. drug trafficking and smuggling.

HOMELAND SECURITY AND FOREIGN • Ensure equitable and meritorious distribution POLICY of appointments to diplomatic missions, including a gender balance, for the nation’s • Take immediate executive measures to interests. stop the killing and abduction of people with albinism and guarantee their security at • • Strengthen the capacity of our military personal, household, and community levels. to defend the country from any external aggression at all times, whether on land, or • Establish a new Police Academy as a lake, or in the air, or cyberspace. strategy to increase the number of police personnel with advanced skills and • Strengthen the capacity of our military techniques in crime detection, investigation, to defend the country from any external and prosecution. aggression at all times, whether on land, or lake, or in the air, or cyberspace.

MCP MANIFESTO 09 2019-2024 1.0 SETTING THE CONTEXT

e have patiently waited for the year In the past five years, the MCP has undertaken a 2019 and it is finally here. This is a very systematic and deeply reflective diagnosis of the Wimportant year for all of us Malawians challenges that the country faces. The verdict because we will make a choice between breaking of this diagnosis is that the country is teetering with the past or continuing with a government at the brink of collapse and nothing short of that is divided and completely failing. Through strategic and visionary leadership will rescue it. the vision outlined in this Manifesto, the Malawi This kind of leadership can only be provided by Congress Party (MCP) and its leadership, is the MCP led by Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, because ready to take the country out of the abyss of we are an institution grounded in our central stagnation and propel into greater heights of operative philosophy and overarching belief in progress and prosperity. We cannot afford to go the capable democratic developmental state. on like this while countries around us continue to This state that the MCP envisions to run, powered surge to higher levels of progress and prosperity. by the Chakwera Super Hi5; namely, Servant Leadership, Uniting Malawians, Prospering This Manifesto is a well thought out recipe for Together, Ending Corruption, and Rule of Law, dealing with the development malaise that will ensure the achievement of the following the country has been experiencing under the outcomes: leadership of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government. Every other sector is in a • Inclusiveness that transcends the narrow state of flux. Severe food insecurity continues divides of politics of identity based on to be a yearly routine; the health sector is regionalism and tribalism which distort perpetually affected by shortages of essential allocation of national resources for equipment, drugs and qualified personnel; the development, representing a frontal assault quality of education continues to deteriorate, on the virtues of equity and fairness, and marked by shortage of qualified teachers, militates against patriotism and national unity, learning and teaching materials, and classroom encouraging a myopic view in development space; the public sector is generally unable to policy and implementation. deliver quality social services because of the failure to ensure that the public sector reforms • An increasingly democratic, political are followed through to their logical conclusion; and governance system that vests in the quality of public infrastructure continues to the sovereignty of citizens rather than the be sub-standard; the agricultural sector remains intransigence of political leaders; in which undiversified and has degenerated into an political and bureaucratic leaders across the arena for corruption and rent seeking activities; board subject themselves to deconcentration corruption, theft and fraud are rampant across of power, high standards of integrity in which the entire state machinery; access to decent the power of the state is exercised to protect housing is limited both in urban and rural areas; and secure the rights of all citizens and to town planning and enforcement of building mediate between the present and future standards are essentially non-existent; land use interests of Malawians in an increasingly planning and land management, especially in competitive world economy. urban areas, has been lax; both blue and white collar crimes are rampant; youth unemployment • Social and economic development outcomes has reached crisis levels; and standards of across sectors based on consciously guided safety and security for citizens have deteriorated, investment by the state, informed by medium especially for people with albinism. term development plans secured through

MCP MANIFESTO 10 2019-2024 synergistic, corruption free partnerships Our conception of a capable with genuine private sector actors, non- democratic developmental state is a nation that governmental organizations (NGOs) and an has the capacity to deliver development that is active and critical citizenry. broad-based, equitable and sustainable. This state is able to directly and actively influence the Our target is to dramatically reduce the direction, pace and goals of development rather proportion of Malawians living below the poverty than leaving it to the uncoordinated market line and the magnitude of inequality within the forces to allocate resources in the economy. next five years. The Chakwera super Hi5 should The democratic developmental state is capable therefore be seen as the principal catalyst for of governing the market in the interest of the transformation in the chosen areas, including broader common good. Our commitment to the those that will benefit from the spill over effects. capable democratic developmental state has The Chakwera Super Hi5 buttresses the fact been reinforced by the 2019 World Development that the MCP leadership is committed to servant Report (WDR). Focusing on the changing leadership, which essentially entails putting the nature of work, the 2019 WDR demands more needs of people first and helping them to develop government efforts to build human capital, and prosper. universal social protection and better taxation. It thus holds governments responsible for providing The leadership is further committed to shared universal social protection, building human prosperity, which is basically inclusive growth capital and generating sufficient revenues. whereby the benefits of growth are shared by the majority of the people, resulting in poverty An MCP-led capable democratic development alleviation and reduction in income inequality. state will be anchored by the following seven The MCP leadership is determined to stamp strategic pillars: out corruption, which undermines development efforts by diverting resources away from the basic • An activist public sector that ensures sustained public services that are necessary for creating economic growth and development through a prerequisite conditions for shared prosperity. clear set of policies and goals for the economy The MCP leadership realizes that it is impossible in terms of export promotion, investment in to attain shared prosperity if the culture of rule human capital and credit allocation through of law does not prevail in society. This is critical strategic state agencies. This activist public because it allows for the subordination of selfish sector will be designed to get relationships individual interests to the greater common good. between different institutions right and Additionally, a united society is a must for the MCP manage conflicts within and between them. leadership to preside over the realization of the • Development vision crafted to inspire all vision of fundamental structural transformation of us to transform the country within the and sustainable development. The belief of the shortest time possible. This will be developed MCP leadership is that as long as we do not have through a consensus building exercise about a shared notion of what is in the country’s public the country’s development vision across all interest we will not be able to move forward as sections of society including the opposition, a nation. National unity is the social glue that civil society, and organized business groups the MCP leadership will work hard to cultivate in fully recognizing that this requires political order to realize the country’s aspirations through will, long-term vision and determination on the capable democratic developmental state. the part of the leadership.

MCP MANIFESTO 11 2019-2024 • A meritocratic and efficient bureaucracy that • Partnerships between government, business, has the administrative, technical and political labour and civil society, which are essential capacity and competence to set national for purposes of lifting economic growth levels, goals; make strategic use of the market; and creating jobs and reducing poverty, and implement policies. Our commitment is to making the country competitive in the shortest ensure that the bureaucracy will be staffed possible period of time. These partnerships by the nation’s brightest and talented citizens are sustainable when the benefits of appointed on the basis of merit rather than economic growth and development are politics. equitably distributed across and throughout society. • An efficient coordinating centre to manage development, for example, the National An MCP-led government will focus on five key Planning Commission (NPC) whose main thematic areas during its first-term of office, role will be to push the economy to reach namely: sustainable high growth rates, work to eliminate the economy’s vulnerabilities, 1. governance and public administration; and make it competitive by diversifying 2. economic growth and development; and identifying new niches. This centre will 3. social development; concretize the development vision, national 4. infrastructure development; and goals and make use of the market and 5. homeland security and foreign policy. monitor the implementation of policies. The choice of these areas was informed by the • Getting the policy mix right as a strategy to systematic and deeply reflective diagnosis that get the country moving again in a positive the MCP carried out over the past five years. direction. This essentially entails getting the While the MCP recognizes that almost every right policies in place, getting the sequencing other aspect of the country’s being is in a state of right, and the flexibility to change quickly flux, the MCP sees the five areas outlined above when a strategy is not working. This will as critical game changers within the framework be achieved, inter alia, through pragmatic of the capable democratic development state and effective implementation strategies and that would engineer the economy’s recovery embedded culture of learning and innovation on a sustainable basis, within the shortest time designed to maintain the development possible. This will ensure broad based benefits momentum at all times. to all Malawians without leaving anybody behind. • An integrated long-term development plan The strategies and interventions envisaged under that will be designed to provide catalysts for each of the selected areas are synergistic and fundamental structural transformation and mutually reinforcing with considerable multiplier inclusive development. We will thus develop effects to thrust the country onto the path of rapid an integrated plan that espouses short-term, sustainable recovery and fundamental structural medium-term and long-term interventions transformation. or actions. Our fundamental belief is that a long-term development plan is crucial for the These five priority areas have been identified in identification of the core priorities of a nation, tune with Agenda 2030 at the global level and otherwise there is always a great risk of being Agenda 2063 at the continental level. These disoriented or blinded with short-term issues. development frameworks have been very instrumental in helping to frame the Malawi

MCP MANIFESTO 12 2019-2024 Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) III, identified in this Manifesto the fundamental which is the country’s medium term development philosophy of the MGDS remains pertinent to planning framework. Our inspiration from the realization of a better and prosperous Malawi Agenda 2030, also referred to as Sustainable founded on a capable democratic developmental Development Goals (SDGs), is the underlying state led by the MCP. We subscribe to the view universal call to action to end poverty, protect the that the MGDS should focus on accelerated and planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and sustainable growth while outlining steps to ensure prosperity. We look at the SDGs as the blueprint social development, good governance and to achieve a better and more sustainable future environmental sustainability. The MDGS should, for everyone in Malawi. Indeed, with the SDGs’ indeed, turn Malawi into a competitive nation and particular focus on poverty, inequality, climate, develop resilience to shocks and hazards but environmental degradation, prosperity, and this requires a disciplined, principled, competent peace and justice, the aspiration of the MCP and pragmatic government, which only the MCP government is to preside over development and its leadership can ably provide. processes that are inclusive and leave nobody behind. We, however, realize that getting the changes that the MCP-led government is proposing will Agenda 2063 further reinforces our commitment not be an easy task. It will require all of us to be to preside over a capable democratic dedicated and willing to make sacrifices at the developmental state that is inclusive. In fact, we individual, community and institutional level for see Agenda 2063 as an integral part of the 2030 the greater common good. There are so many Agenda for Sustainable Development. Agenda forces that are vested in the status quo. They 2063 has inspired this Manifesto because are benefiting from the status quo and they it clearly outlines how the continent should will do anything within their power to frustrate effectively learn lessons of the past, build on the realization of the changes and reforms that the progress underway, and strategically exploit would ensure that we reach our full potential as all possible opportunities available in the short, a nation. An MCP government will stand firm and medium and long-term so as to ensure positive will work to move away from populist policies socio-economic transformation within the next and concentrate on those that have tremendous fifty years. In particular, we are inspired by the potential to catalyze fundamental structural shared hopes of the African people embodied in transformation and sustainable inclusive the Agenda 2063, namely: a prosperous Africa development. We will, however, ensure that based on inclusive growth and sustainable there is an appropriate mix of policy instruments development; and an Africa of good governance, in order to achieve the positive changes that we democracy, respect for human rights, justice and are all looking for. the rule of law; and an Africa whose development is people driven, relying on the potential offered This Manifesto outlines our vision, framework by people, especially its women and youth and or philosophy for solving Malawi’s development caring for children. jinx. The MCP realizes that the country is in a state of flux. While every area is important, we in The MGDS III is broadly aligned to the ideals the MCP have identified five key strategic areas espoused in Agenda 2030 and Agenda 2063. that we believe are significant game changers While we will tweak the MGDS III for it to strongly with tremendous multiplier effects to turn the speak to the five strategic pillars that we have country’s fortunes around in the shortest

MCP MANIFESTO 13 2019-2024 time possible within the framework of a capable running a viable developmental state, coupled democratic developmental state. We realize with a deeply reflective diagnosis of Malawi’s that the challenges facing us as a country are development challenges, the MCP is more than quite daunting, but that does not mean they are ready to govern and start delivering results from insurmountable. Equipped with the nuts and day one. A vote for the MCP is a vote for hope, bolts of a capable democratic developmental prosperity and sustainable development. state, drawing from our extensive experience in

MCP MANIFESTO 14 2019-2024 2.0 GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

he MCP believes that a viable governance In developing the governance and public and public administration architecture administration architecture fit for purpose Tlies at the heart of a capable democratic for a capable democratic developmental developmental state. A capable democratic state, the MCP government will prioritize the developmental state cannot deliver if it is not following areas: 1) public sector reforms; 2) served by a governance and public administration decentralization and governance; 3) corruption framework that is efficient, responsive, and development; 4) human and civil rights; 5) law, transparent and accountable and run by people justice and security; and 6) national governance who are selfless, objective, open and honest. architecture. The MCP believes that focusing on These people should also demonstrate high levels these areas would quickly create an environment of integrity and leadership. A governance and that would lay solid foundations for the country’s public administration architecture of this nature fundamental structural transformation and is key to the achievement of sustained economic sustainable development. growth, promotion of social development, facilitating infrastructure development and 2.1 PUBLIC SECTOR REFORMS protecting the environment, promoting public- private partnerships, managing development The MCP realizes that the nation has programmes and maintaining a robust legal implemented several public sector reform efforts framework for development. but our bureaucracy remains unfit to drive or, indeed, preside over fundamental structural The governance and public administration transformation and sustainable development. architecture that the MCP will establish will be The MCP government will implement public designed to ensure government effectiveness; sector reforms that will ensure that there is a public high regulatory capacity; strict observance of sector that has the administrative, technical and the rule of law; and zero-tolerance of corruption. political capacity to set national goals; make use Government effectiveness entails the quality of of the markets and implement policies. The MCP public services, the quality of the civil service government will rebuild the public sector so that and the degree of its independence from political it becomes efficient, well-coordinated and staffed pressures, the quality of policy formulation with skilled employees, the best and the brightest and implementation, and the credibility of the of the nation. To establish a public sector that is government’s commitment to such policies. fit for purpose, the MCP government will do the High regulatory capacity refers to the ability of following: the government to formulate and implement sound policies and regulations, which, among other things, promote sustainable private • Redesign the structure of the public service sector development. Strict observance of to align it with the country’s development rule of law implies the extent to which agents vision geared toward fundamental structural have confidence in and abide by the rules of transformation and sustainable development. society, and in particular the quality of contract • Reduce presidential powers in public enforcement, the police and the courts as well appointments to ensure that the bureaucracy as the likelihood of crime and violence. Zero- is served by the best and brightest minds. tolerance of corruption implies stamping out the extent to which public power is exercised for • Make the Public Service Commission private gain as well as the capture of the state by independent of political influence so as elites and private interests. to entrench the culture of meritocracy in

MCP MANIFESTO 15 2019-2024 recruitment to public service to restore sanity national development. and professionalism in the civil service. • Completely automate government services • Establish a formal graduate recruitment within the first term of office as a wayof scheme for the public service and a parallel controlling and stamping out corruption, scheme for local government with the especially in ministries, departments and provision of mentoring, training and reflection agencies entrusted with the country’s fiscus. to ensure that the public service is staffed by the country’s best and brightest minds. • Develop a comprehensive strategy detailing out the type and levels of human resource • Establish effective performance management needed to implement the nation’s strategic system throughout the public service to development agenda. ensure high quality and effective delivery of public services, serving as the basis for The ultimate goal of the MCP will be to establish rewards, sanctions and promotion of career a public sector that maximizes public value. public sector employees. This involves maximizing the outcomes; service delivery; and trust in public governance. An • Develop a code of ethics and conduct MCP government will bring to an end the current for public service career officials whose situation whereby a career of work for the state violation will attract sanctions as the basis turns into the reserved privilege of the few for promoting the values of selflessness, while maladministration and ineffectiveness are integrity, objectivity, accountability, honesty, encouraged. integrity and leadership. 2.2 DECENTRALIZATION AND • Raise the minimum wage from MK 25,000 to GOVERNANCE MK 50,000 to ensure that every worker is able to meet the minimum basic costs of living. The MCP believes in decentralization of power, authority and resources to the lowest • Review and implement public service possible level of governance as the basis for salaries against the cost of living to ensure rapid and sustainable development. Effective that all public servant lives a meaningful and implementation of decentralization is very dignified. important because local government is the • Institutionalize the culture of learning and sphere of government that is closest to the innovation across the public services to allow people. The MCP is hugely concerned with for the emergence of a governance and public how decentralization policy reforms and the administration system that continuously management of rural development have been change and develop more transparent, carried out so far. They have not been done in a accountable, equitable, cost effective and way that would facilitate fundamental structural responsive form of governance. transformation and sustainable development. Under the auspices of capable democratic • Professionalize the management of developmental state, the MCP is committed to parastatals by ensuring that their boards are facilitate the entrenchment of a developmental run by men and women that are adequately local government system. This is a local qualified for their roles to ensure efficiency government that is committed to work with and effectiveness thereby making them citizens and groups within the community to find contribute meaningfully to the cause of sustainable ways to meet their social, economic

MCP MANIFESTO 16 2019-2024 and material needs and improve the quality of politics. their lives. To establish developmental local governments, the MCP government undertakes The ambition of the MCP is to propagate a local to do the following: government system with a very well defined institutional and organizational structure to • Review the policy, institutional and legislative facilitate fundamental structural transformation basis for local government in order to restore and sustainable development. Such an it to its original form within the first term of institutional and organizational structure could being in office. guarantee unambiguous responsibility and role assignment within the framework of a • Identify and amend all outstanding laws clear system of procedures, regulations and that are contradictory to the spirit of the coordination culminating in transformative local decentralization policy reforms in order to level development. The overall aim of the MCP create an enabling environment within the government in strengthening local governments first term of being in office. will be to satisfy social, economic and political • Undertake comprehensive audit of the needs of Malawians by guaranteeing the capacity of local governments in order responsiveness of governance units throughout to develop fit for purpose organizational the hierarchy. structures to enable them perform their functions efficiently and effectively. 2.3 CORRUPTION, GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT • Develop a comprehensive capacity building programme for local governments designed The MCP is committed to zero-tolerance of on the basis of the outcomes of the capacity corruption and this will be implemented from audit of local governments and their the first day of getting into office. The MCPis structures. concerned with how successive governments have handled the epidemic of corruption. The • Devolve up to 20% of the national budget MCP will be very tough on corruption because to local councils by first term of being in it realizes that corruption is an epidemic that office as commitment to transforming local has the power to completely destroy a country’s governments into centres and agents of local socio-economic, financial and human and development. political environment. Conservative estimates indicate that as a country, we lose about 30% of • Review and formalize in law the institutional the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to corruption framework for decentralization beyond the annually. This is a huge amount of resources that district level to curb the apparent lack of unity can make a difference in the lives of Malawians of direction and purpose underlined by the in the health, education and agricultural sectors multiplicity of institutions, which is creating if we had a government committed to zero- chaos thereby undermining implementation tolerance of corruption. The MCP government will of decentralization initiatives. implement a zero-tolerance policy to corruption because it realizes that corruption impacts • Depoliticize the role of chiefs allowing them to the economy directly by reducing economic concentrate on facilitating and implementing investments, hindering competition, distorting development activities in their respective markets and increasing income inequalities. The areas and restore their dignity by elevating MCP government undertakes to carry out the their roles and positions above petty partisan

MCP MANIFESTO 17 2019-2024 following as an integral part of the zero-tolerance The MCP will not entertain corruption at all stance to corruption: because corruption greatly undermines a country’s capacity for sustainable development. • Grant a 30 day amnesty to all those involved Corruption erodes the institutional capacity of in corruption to voluntarily surrender their government to deliver quality public services assets that were corruptly acquired beyond and directs public investment away from major which they will be subjected to prosecution. public needs. This, in turn, increases budgetary • Make special arrangements to ensure pressures on governments thereby hindering the that all outstanding corruption cases are provision of opportunities to people to realize their cleared within the first two years of the MCP full potential. In fighting corruption, therefore, the government. MCP’s capable democratic developmental state • Ensure that prosecution of corruption cases will not only take steps to increase incomes but is impartial targeting all culprits regardless also to improve the people’s standard of living. of their standing in society and political allegiance. 2.4 HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRACY • All middle to senior level bureaucrats and AND DEVELOPMENT Cabinet Ministers will be required to comply without fail the Asset Declaration Law. The The MCP recognizes that respect for human MCP Government will ensure the law will be rights is a cornerstone for sustainable applied firmly and without discrimination. democracy and development. The commitment • Review the Anti-corruption law in order to to human rights is key to the functioning of a facilitate the distinction corruption and theft capable democratic developmental state since cases to allow for rapid litigation of these long-term sustainable development is closely cases at all levels of the country’s judicial linked to sound democratic governance and the system. protection of human rights. This emphasizes the • Restructure the Anti-Corruption Bureau fact that democratic governance, human rights (ACB) to provide for the following: and sustainable development are intertwined. 1. Recruitment of the ACB Director will be The MCP’s commitment to human rights as made competitive through Parliament in order an instrument of democratic governance and to recruit a highly competent and impartial sustainable development is inspired by the Director on rolling three contracts to expedite Millennium Declaration; the Universal Declaration the handling of outstanding corruption cases of Human Rights, and all UN instruments which that have serious political connotations. collectively convey a vision of a better, fairer and 2. Improve the capacity of the ACB in its more just world. The MCP therefore commits to various departments such as investigation, establish an environment in which civil society, prosecution, civic education and outreach. religious groups and free and ethical media can • Make it a practice for the ACB to report to the flourish, and where women, youth and minorities, nation on progress of its work regularly through and other often excluded groups can participate the relevant Committees of Parliament as a and be well represented. The ultimate vision of key strategy of rebuilding the public’s trust the MCP-led government is to establish a Malawi and confidence in its operations. that supports the right to human dignity, the right • Ensure more independence and efficiency to have a say in decisions affecting one’s life, and of institutions that promote efficient Public principles of empowerment and equity. To ensure Finance Management such as the National the realization of this particular dispensation, the Audit Services and Accountant General. MCP-led government will do the following:

MCP MANIFESTO 18 2019-2024 • Ensure strict adherence to all international and accountable governance. This, in turn, is key charters of human rights including the to promoting voice, rule of law, and accountability Universal Declaration of Human Rights and as well as the capacity to deliver basic services the African Charter on Human and People’s to all and empower people to claim their rights. Rights. An MCP government will therefore invest in promoting the government’s capacity to respond • Respect the provision of the Bill of Rights as to citizens’ needs on the citizens’ capacity to enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic exercise fundamental rights and hold government of Malawi without discrimination on any basis. accountable.

• Promote the development of social, political 2.5 LAW, JUSTICE AND SECURITY and economic infrastructure that is particularly conducive to the exercise and enjoyment of The MCP is committed to establishing a Malawi human rights. that is characterized by rule of law, justice • Support the operations of local and and security of all its citizens. The MCP views international human rights NGOs through a law, justice and security as a critical feature permissive and enabling policy, institutional of the capable democratic developmental and legislative framework. state because any shortfalls in safety, security and justice contribute to both poverty and • Facilitate the progressive development of underdevelopment. The belief of the MCP civil society that is fully capable of holding is that security and justice institutions that government accountable and defending are democratically controlled, alongside an citizens’ rights. independent judiciary that can check the power of the legislature and executive including security • Entrench the culture of reporting on the state institutions, contributes to strengthening the of human rights in Malawi as required by all rule of law. The rule of law fosters development treaties that Malawi is party to. through strengthening the voices of individuals and communities, by providing access to justice, • Institutionalize mechanisms of dialogue ensuring due process and establishing remedies between government and civil society for the violation of rights. To promote law, justice organizations to work towards establishing and security as an essential foundation for a governance environment that allows for human wellbeing, an MCP-led government will inclusiveness thereby according citizens the do the following: opportunity for their voices to be heard. • Strengthen all relevant institutions to provide • Operationalize the Access to Information security, safety and justice, which are very Act to ensure that government is always critical to the attainment of sustainable transparent and accountable to its citizens. development, poverty reduction, citizen security and empowerment. • Turn the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and Television Malawi (TVM) into • Modernize the Judiciary by making its genuine public broadcasters to serve the operations electronic as a strategy to speed country’s national interest. up the dispensation of justice because justice delayed is as good as justice denied. The MCP’s strategies will thus help to build the country’s capacity for more inclusive, responsive • Widen access to justice to all, especially the

MCP MANIFESTO 19 2019-2024 disadvantaged sections of society, particularly development. women and children as the basis for curbing gender-based discrimination and exclusion. 2.6 NATIONAL GOVERNANCE ARCHITECTURE • Guarantee adequate funding to all institutions mandated to provide security, ensure safety The MCP government will work to strengthen and and dispense justice so that they able to preserve the integrity of the national governance operate efficiently and effectively at all times. architecture as provided for in the country’s Constitution. The legislative branch of government • Mount a comprehensive training and capacity is responsible for enacting laws and appropriating building programme for all relevant institutions the money necessary to operate the government; to ensure that they are adequately staffed the executive branch is responsible for and are able to provide high quality services implementing and administering the public policy to all Malawians. enacted and funded by the legislature; and the judicial branch is responsible for interpreting the • Push for a comprehensive reform programme Constitution and laws applying their interpretations that would, among other things, support and to controversies brought before it. The MCP strengthen Alternative Dispute Resolution believes that constructive relationships between Mechanisms (ADR) to widen access to these three arms of government are essential to justice; separate the office of the Attorney the effective maintenance of the Constitution and General from the Ministry of Justice and the rule of law. The MCP government will therefore Constitutional Affairs to guarantee efficiency be committed to entrenching separation of powers and effectiveness; and strengthening the and system of checks and balances between Legal Aid Bureau to increase its accessibility these three branches of government to ensure to ordinary Malawians. accountability, responsiveness and openness. The MCP realizes that the three spheres of government • Support and strengthen the intelligence are constituted as distinctive entities but they are agencies to provide services that are able also interdependent and interrelated. In addition to to deal with contemporary threats of money ensuring a healthy relationship between the three laundering, cross border crime, human branches of government, the MCP government will trafficking and environmental degradation. solidify the national governance architecture by putting in place a progressive and transformative • Ensure strict adherence to rule of law and end Cabinet that will preside over the realization of the selective application of the law to restore faith country’s development agenda. In each of these in the country’s critical national institutions. constituent areas of the national governance architecture, the MCP commits to undertake the The MCP realizes that equitable provision of safety, following: security and justice to all citizens is important for the legitimacy and effective functioning of The Executive a capable democratic developmental state. • Ensure there is strict adherence to the Lack of safety, security and justice impedes the constitutional provisions with the view to provision of, or people’s access to other services promoting and entrenching the culture of rule such as education, health, water, sanitation and of law, which is key to fundamental structural electricity. The MCP’s conviction is that narrow transformation and sustainable development. development efforts that exclude safety, security and justice fail to achieve sustainable human • Ensure that both the President and members

MCP MANIFESTO 20 2019-2024 of Cabinet are duly accountable to the people annually by the President to ensure that of Malawi through the National Assembly as they are making tangible contributions to the the hallmark of servant leadership. national development agenda.

• Propagate a culture of accountability, especially The MCP believes that all the three arms of amongst Controlling Officers, who will be made government provide a public service and must to appear before the appropriate committees therefore hold each other accountable. The vision of Parliament as a matter of routine and of the MCP is that the branches of government sanctioning those who choose to abdicate this should be engaged with each other in a manner particular responsibility. which is open and respectful of the institutional strength and weaknesses of each other. A • Promote a culture of regular engagement progressive and competent Cabinet will ensure between the President and the Leader the overall integrity of the national governance of Opposition as a strategy for solidifying architecture which is the hub of governance and consensus behind the national development development. vision while ensuring a sense of unity of purpose and direction. The Judiciary

• Reduce the size of the presidential convoy to • Guarantee the independence of the Judiciary less than 10 vehicles but without compromising so that it is impartial and effective in the the security of the Head of State. interpretation of laws and administration of justice. • Discontinue stopping traffic when the President is passing by so as to minimize public • Respect court judgments and orders as a disturbances as much as possible. strategy for entrenching the culture of rule of law and enhancing the spirit of constitutionalism. • Make it a practice for the President to work from the Capital Hill office at least four days in • Separate the offices of the Attorney General and a month. Minister of Justice to enhance the impartiality and objectivity when it comes to legal issues • Appoint a Cabinet that is gender balanced and to which the government is an interested party. representative of the country’s social diversity including the disadvantaged sections of the • Improve the laws to ensure that they always population. conform to the evolving multiparty political dispensation but within the framework of the • Ensure that all Cabinet Ministers are appointed Republican Constitution on the basis of competence for the portfolios assigned to them to ensure that they The Legislature meaningfully contribute to the country’s overall national development agenda. • Support reform efforts to make Parliament legislatively, administratively and financially • Make it clear that the role of Ministers will be to autonomous so that it can be able to play its provide strategic leadership to their respective rightful role as a bulwark of democratization. ministries and not interfering in the day-to-day operations of their ministries. • Ensure that Parliament tackles the legislative backlog that makes it difficult for the country • Subject all Cabinet Ministers to performance- to implement certain aspects of the democratic based contracts, which will be reviewed dispensation yet they are key to facilitating

MCP MANIFESTO 21 2019-2024 fundamental structural transformation and • Make Parliament accountable to the people sustainable development. so that they should fully understand its roles thereby support its operations. • Resolve once and for all challenges brought about the selfish amendments to Section • Encourage Parliament to develop a strategic 65 so that it is applied with ease and without plan for its legislative agenda to ensure that creating unnecessary standoffs in Parliament’s it meaningfully contributes to the country’s business. development agenda.

MCP MANIFESTO 22 2019-2024 3. ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

he MCP realizes that Malawi’s economic and food security; energy access and security; growth patterns have quite erratic since trade, commerce and industrial development; Tthe turn of the 1990s. The boom and burst mining and resource governance; and tourism. economic growth patterns cannot meaningfully The MCP’s vision is that the synergies and contribute to the efforts of engineering multiplier effects arising out of these priority fundamental structural transformation and areas will culminate in high economic growth sustainable development. The MCP believes that rates, structural change in production patterns Malawi’s fortunes can dramatically turnaround and welfare policies that achieve social equity. within the framework of the capable democratic developmental state. In line with the World 3.1 ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT Bank’s diagnosis, Malawi requires growth levels AND DEVELOPMENT not less than 6% per annum for at least over a decade to graduate from a low to middle income The MCP believes that prudent economic country. It is against this backdrop that the MCP management and development is very key to believes that appropriately chosen and governed achieving macro-economic stability spearheaded institutions can help the development of credible by decisive government action. Prudent mechanisms capable of decreasing risks of economic management and development gives opportunistic behavior of political and economic rise to high levels of macro-economic stability, players. These institutions could, among other promote competitiveness and increased things, help channel capital into transformative strategic outward orientation. The vision of the investments, inducing entrepreneurship, and MCP is to create an economic management and bolstering the competitiveness of domestic firms development framework that will set the stage in global markets. for the Malawi economy to resume its march forward. Meanwhile, the country’s economy is The belief of the MCP is that this kind of stagnant, characterized by weak growth patterns institutional framework cannot be achieved and is very weak on job creation. There are four without a functioning, meritocratic and efficient critical areas that the MCP government will focus bureaucracy with the capacity to create an on in reviving the country’s economy. These are: environment in which Malawi can achieve macro-economic policy environment; public debt rapid growth and development. With such a management; medium term economic policies; bureaucracy, Malawi will be able to promote and economic structural reforms. industrialization and domestic investment; dynamic and pragmatic public-private 3.1.1 Macro-economic Policy partnerships; human capital development; Environment prudent macro-fiscal management; redistributive social policies; and effective planning to The MCP’s position is that Malawi cannot coordinate or implement policies. In short, the achieve fundamental structural transformation MCP envisions a very activist and interventionist and sustainable development without a strategic role for the government in driving growth and long-term vision to guide the achievement development. and sustenance of a stable macro-economic policy environment. Building on the aspirations The MCP government will prioritize five critical embodied in the Vision 2020 and translated areas in the realm of economic growth and into practice through the medium-term planning development. These are economic management development frameworks such as the Malawi and development; agriculture development Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS),

MCP MANIFESTO 23 2019-2024 the MCP government will develop a long-term • Ensure the alignment of local council development dubbed Vision 2050 that will priorities with the national level priorities by distinguish five to six fundamental strategic guaranteeing the participation of CSOs in pillars of national development that will catalyze the local level development structures, which Malawi’s fundamental structural transformation would go a long way to eliminate duplication and sustainable development. More specifically, of efforts causing resource wastage. the MCP government will: The belief of the MCP, therefore, is that broad • Develop and facilitate the culture of policy political and institutional stability, policy continuity continuity guided by the fundamental strategic and fiscal prudence greatly help to contain pillars of national development to ensure fiscal and external imbalances. Our overall goal irreversible momentum and progress on the will therefore be to prioritize capacity building country’s development front regardless of targeting at developing administrative capacities change of government. to better plan and implement development programmes so as to ensure that economic • Build on and reorient the MGDS III as management and development efforts must an overarching medium-term national consolidate and accelerate the growth process development strategy setting the stage for while maintaining macroeconomic stability. the identification and development of the five to six fundamental strategic pillars of national 3.1.2 Public Debt and Aid development in a consultative fashion. Management • Develop innovative ways of mobilizing financial resources domestically such as Sound debt and aid management is quite key to pension and sovereign funds while at the sustainable economic growth and development. same time ensuring that these financial The MCP fully realizes that prudent debt resources are efficiently managed to benefit management can help economies reduce their the national cause of development through borrowing cost, contain financial risk and develop a water tight zero-tolerance of corruption their domestic debt markets. The main concern, strategy. however, for the MCP is that the country’s debt levels are rapidly growing to unsustainable • Create a favourable environment for the levels. The country’s debt level is estimated to private sector to participate in the economy be equivalent to 54.7% of the country’s GDP at least strategically to facilitate investment in 2016 yet it was slashed from 90% to 8% of and growth patterns that would guarantee a GDP in 2006 under the Highly Indebted Poor robust economy with equitable benefits to all Country (HIPIC) initiative. The MCP’s diagnosis Malawians. is that the worsening debt situation is as a result of weak capacity within government to • Create a favourable environment for the coordinate and manage aid and the tendency for participation in the economy of Civil Society government to borrow largely for consumption Organizations (CSOs) so that in addition to rather than investment. The MCP commits itself playing a watchdog role over government to run country with sustainable debt levels as an activities their activities should be properly instrument of facilitating sustainable economic aligned with national development priorities growth. To achieve such a debt management since they control a very large portfolio of regime, the MCP undertakes to do the following: resources.

MCP MANIFESTO 24 2019-2024 • Strengthen public debt management that increase the vulnerability of the economy to by establishing a high-level Debt Policy economic and financial shocks. Committee that provides broad oversight of public debt management and steers debt 3.1.3 Medium Term Economic policy and debt strategy formulation. Policies

• Invest in a consistent and comprehensive The MCP sees these policies as being key to capacity building for the skills-set that a stable macro-economic environment, which is required to understand public debt enhances prospects for growth and improved management and its advantages. standard of living. The primary goal of the MCP- led government will be to implement these • Improve on public debt management and policies in a way that will reduce uncertainty and coordination procedures specifying the risk in economic decision making. Consequently, functions and linkages of all the institutions, the MCP government will create an environment including data and information flows, in which policy makers would better understand computer software applications and reporting these policies so that they work to reduce the requirements. number of people living in poverty and to increase • Commit the national government to ensure the number of people who share in benefits of that borrowings are only used to finance rising income. The MCP will do the following in development expenditure while keeping an order to achieve these goals: eye on the Current Account Deficit.

• Ensure that the support of the development • Work out systematically policies that will partners is channeled to sectors that are a help maintain low levels of inflation at single priority to the country, encouraging division digit values in order to create a favourable of labour among development partners to environment for productivity, trade and concentrate on the country’s priority areas investment. where they have comparative advantage. • Review term structure of interest rates to • Reduce the level of domestic and external promote financial inclusion by among other debt from the current MK 3.5 Trillion to less things enacting interest cap legislation than MK 1 Trillion within the next five years. which will limit the interest rates charged by commercial banks on loans at no more than The MCP believes that a sustainable debt 5% above the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) management regime can only be achieved in Base Lending Rates. the context of a sound institutional structure and • Ensure that the rate of economic growth is policies for reducing operational risk, including higher than the population growth rate as a delegation of responsibilities and associated strategy to fast track sustainable economic accountabilities among government agencies growth rate targeting an annual growth rate involved in debt management. Overall, the MCP of not less than 6% for the next 10 years. government will facilitate the development of a framework to enable debt managers identify • Accelerate the diversification of exports and manage the trade-off between expected and implement structural reforms aimed at cost and risk in the government debt portfolio. developing Malawi’s capacity to export as This will avoid risky debt management practices a strategy to curb excessive fluctuations

MCP MANIFESTO 25 2019-2024 in the exchange rate, which is essential to and the state’s institutional capabilities, which sustainable growth. is a primary commitment for the MCP under the aegis of the capable democratic developmental • Promote monetary policy designed to sustain state. low rates of inflation. 3.1.4 Economic Structural • Promote independence of the RBM to Reforms ensure that monetary policy is market driven and managed in the manner that takes into The MCP-led government will be committed to account the country’s overall development implementing a series of structural reforms in agenda. the country’s economy. The MCP realizes that • Promote financial access and literacy in the structural reforms are vital to changing the fabric country to enhance financial inclusion which of an economy, especially the institutional and is vital to sustainable economic growth and regulatory framework in which business and development. people operate. These reforms are imperative to ensure that the economy is fit and better able • Encourage electronic payments by promoting to realize its growth potential in a balanced way. digitization of payments by making it a The MCP government proposes to undertake policy for service providers to provide the the following structural reforms to reinvigorate infrastructure that supports interoperability the country’s stagnant economy: such as auto-teller machines, point of sale devices, mobile payments and Internet- based related electronic payment channels. • Change the fiscal year to run from 1st April to 31st March in order to align it to the • Emphasize on prudent fiscal policies that country’s agricultural season due to the fact encourage spending on priority sectors of that the agricultural sector is the backbone the economy and ensuring that all resources of the country’s economy thereby allowing made available to the government are utilized institutions such as ADMARC to roll out their to the benefit of Malawians. activities on time and to the benefit of the farmers. • Restore public trust and win back donor confidence to attract budget support as well • Strengthen the Public Finance Management as protecting our friendships that have a (PFM) systems by encouraging reforms long history and to safeguard our common that improve the use and management interests. of public resources through setting up of financial management systems that promote The MCP believes that these strategies will help transparency, accountability, fiscal discipline, achieve the goal of economic growth, a higher efficiency and effectiveness in order to avoid GDP level and higher level of employment. the repeat of the Cash-gate. These strategies are based on a rigorous analysis of the forces which determine economic • Ensure that the Medium-Term Expenditure growth of a country and explain how to reach the Framework (MTEF) adheres to the priorities highest state of economic growth and sustain it. espoused in the MGDS III to ensure that The implementation and the sequencing of these government expenditure is in line with the strategies will be based on the country’s income approved budget and in accordance with level, endowment of human and physical capital locally generated resources.

MCP MANIFESTO 26 2019-2024 • Revise the performance of parastatal diagnosis further reveals that the development organizations by limiting political interference of the country’s agricultural sector is hampered and recruiting their Chief Executive Officers by farmers’ challenges in accessing inputs and (CEOs) on a meritocratic basis, and holding markets, land especially for women, new and them accountable for their decisions in the appropriate technologies, extension services and management of their respective enterprises. poor agricultural infrastructure. It is against this backdrop that the MCP government will implement • Undertake broad based tax reforms a comprehensive programme of agricultural designed to expand the tax base; increase transformation to set the stage for fundamental tax compliance; and lower the tax burden structural transformation and sustainable on individuals, businesses and all tax paying development. Agricultural transformation is entities. key to boosting labour productivity, increasing agricultural surplus to accumulate capital and • Revise the zero rated Pay as you Earn increasing foreign exchange via exports. In (PAYE) tax from MK 35,000 to MK 100,000 to fact, in order to end hunger and under-nutrition spur productivity and investment. while accelerating economic growth, agricultural • • Develop a comprehensive tax policy to transformation must become a reality. act as the basis for resource mobilization, use and management so as to facilitate the Through the agricultural transformation agenda, growth of a robust and sustainable economy. the vision of the MCP is to create an agricultural sector that emphasizes the importance of • The MCP government will be committed to increased agricultural productivity and linkages these reforms because it knows that such to domestic markets, self-sufficiency in food reforms offer governments a powerful tool production, tackling massive unemployment to boost economic growth, create jobs and of youth and women, poverty reduction and bring about a strong and balanced economic strong private sector participation. The MCP recovery. Moreover, economic structural understands agricultural transformation as reforms can also take some of the pressure involving restructuring the sector, a focus on off monetary and fiscal policies to buttress activities and interventions that raise productivity, sustained economic recovery. and the modernization of agriculture. The key preconditions for agricultural transformation 3.2 AGRICULTURAL include the stability of the political economy, TRANSFORMATION AND the long-term consistency of policies and an FOOD SECURITY acknowledgement of the importance of public investment. The ultimate goal of the MCP While agriculture’s contribution to GDP has government will be to increase agriculture’s somewhat declined, it remains a key driver of contribution to economic growth by not only the country’s economy employing about 85% of increasing production for food security, but the workforce and contributes over 80% to the also for agro-processing and manufacturing total export earnings. The MCP’s diagnosis is for both domestic and export markets. To that Malawi’s agriculture’s potential is yet to be achieve this agenda, the MCP will prioritize the fully exploited for it to contribute to fundamental following areas: land access and tenure; agri- structural transformation and sustainable business development with particular focus development. While the agricultural sector on youth and women; agricultural productivity employs about 85% of the total workforce, it only and development; agriculture extension and contributes about 30% to the country’s GDP. Our appropriate technology; market access and

MCP MANIFESTO 27 2019-2024 development, climate change and agricultural asset for raising finance, which is a critical development; and management for agricultural constraint to agricultural production. transformation. • Promote intensive farming among smallholder 3.2.1 Land Access and Tenure farmers especially where land is in short supply through sustainable use of land, Access to land and tenure security remain key water and forest resources, which would also constraints to transforming the agricultural sector contribute to dealing with the adverse effects in the country despite the promulgation of the of climate change. new land legislative framework in 2017. The MCP • Review the Land Act to ensure that access to notes that there are great disparities between land benefits Malawians and not foreigners some formal prescriptions of the land legislative who are acquiring massive tracts of land framework and what is actually obtaining on fraudulently. the ground. Women and youth are particularly The MCP believes that the resolution of the land disadvantaged yet they represent a powerful question once and for all holds the key to the force that can play a key role in the agricultural agricultural transformation agenda. This agenda transformation agenda. Realizing that land is has to be inclusive of both women and youth who the country’s major productive asset the MCP have huge potential to transform the agricultural commits to creating a favourable environment sector. The MCP government will therefore see that will ensure land access and tenure security to it that both women and youth are empowered does not constrain the agricultural transformation through policies and programmes to register land agenda. More specifically the MCP will: and work towards more equal ownership of land, • Review the Customary Land Act, 2017 capital and resources, combined with specific to address the concerns that various measures to improve women’s agricultural stakeholders such as traditional leaders productivity. and smallholder farmers have raised paying particular attention to cultural sensitivities 3.2.2 Agri-business Development wherever appropriate. Agriculture transformation cannot be achieved • Undertake a nationwide land consolidation without paying adequate attention to agri- programme with a view to creating a land business development, which basically entails a management, access and use regime that shift to demand driven agricultural development, promotes land use efficiency and maximize in which the entire value chain plays a critical role. economies of scale. The MCP believes that making agri-business front and centre of the agricultural transformation • Promote access to, and ownership of land agenda would go a long way in rebranding the for agricultural production in many parts of agriculture sector as an attractive occupation the country especially among the youth and especially among the youth who generally women to allow them to set up or expand consider farming as arduous and an occupation agricultural enterprises through effective land of old people. This is possible because agri- registration systems, transaction systems business involve value addition in the entire and intergenerational land transfer. value chain system, from providing inputs to farmers to connecting with consumers through • Improve the security of land tenure for greater general handling, marketing and distribution of and sustained agricultural investment so agricultural products. In promoting agri-business, as to enable land to be used as a personal

MCP MANIFESTO 28 2019-2024 the MCP government will prioritize women and increase awareness of new laws that improve the youth by actually undertaking the following: land rights equality so that women know their improved rights. • Implement programmes to improve the youth’s and women’s access to land to • Increase women’s access to farm labour, allow them set up or expand agricultural inputs and agricultural technology such as businesses. machinery to increase productivity.

• Encourage value chain addition and agro- MCP believes viable agri-business ventures processing to improve the gross margins for would greatly change the unfavourable image of farmers both in domestic and export markets agriculture especially in the eyes of the youth. for farmers to maximize returns on their This is not an opportunity to be missed since investment. the youth constitutes a disproportionate share of the country’s population, and they therefore • Improve the youth’s access to financial represent a potential resource that can effectively services by developing suitable credit and be harnessed for agricultural transformation and finance facilities through the Young Agri- national development. Unequal access to quality preneurs Centre of the Agricultural Finance land, capital and other resources has caused Bank. a gender gap in agricultural productivity. The • Incentivize Financial Service Providers existing statistics show that the average value of (FSPs) to identify the needs and wants of agricultural produce is up to 25% lower from land young entrepreneurs and design specific cultivated by women than men, when the same products accordingly. crops are grown. The MCP-led government will therefore ensure that a focus on youth and • Organize the youth into farmer cooperatives women is mainstreamed in all interventions especially in rural areas to improve their and strategies for agri-business, which includes image with FSPs as suitable partners. involving the youth in all stages of their design and implementation. • Improve private sector involvement in promoting youth employment against the 3.2.3 Agricultural Productivity backdrop of a comprehensive national and Development youth programme with agri-preneurship and vocational training centres located in each of Agriculture productivity in Malawi remains far the 35 councils across the country. behind the expected thresholds, which makes agriculture less profitable, and largely unable • Improve the participation of the youth in to meet household food security and nutritional the political and social dialogue particularly needs. It is estimated that yields for maize hover regarding their access to land and related around 1.5 to 2.5 tonnes against the yield potential services. of 5 to 8 tonnes per hectare. The performance of both the food and export sub-sectors has therefore • Support women farmers’ collectives and not been satisfactory. The consequences of the savings groups, which help women to failure to realize the productivity potential has collectively obtain better prices for their been increasing volumes of food imports whose agricultural inputs and produce. cost has not been compensated by increases • Support legal and financial training and in export earnings. The poor productivity track record is attributed to the use of inefficient

MCP MANIFESTO 29 2019-2024 production techniques, inadequate access to • Enhance agricultural diversification away affordable access to agricultural inputs, among from tobacco and maize in order to mitigate many others. The overarching goal of the natural shocks such as drought by growing MCP government will therefore be to improve drought resistant food crops but also widening agricultural productivity so as to increase the the agricultural export base. variety of food available at household, community and national levels in order to increase people’s • Reassess the existing agro-ecological zones incomes through domestic and export marketing in order to determine the best locally suited of agricultural products, and to meet household crops and the livestock that will be promoted and national food and nutritional security. More in these areas. specifically, the MCP commits to do the following • Trigger agriculture revolution powered by the as strategies for improving productivity in the reassessment of ecological zones through country’s agricultural sector. rural diversification out of agriculture such • Introduce universal fertilizer subsidy to ensure as promotion of small and medium scale that fertilizer is accessible to all farmers at agro-based and non-agricultural industries; affordable prices. expanding smallholder cash production; and diversification away from maize towards • Ensure access to affordable agricultural other staple crops such as cassava and inputs such as fertilizers, chemicals and sweet potatoes. pesticides, and machinery working closely with the private sector through a supportive • Raise the irrigable hectarage from 29% to business environment. over 50% within the next five years to ensure that Malawi is food secure at all times. • Partner with the private sector to ease access to, and ensure availability of low-cost The MCP believes that without enhancing finance to farmers by providing an enabling production to fully exploit the agricultural environment for growth and proliferations of sector’s potential, Malawi will always grapple financial services providers. with problems of endemic food insecurity, under- nutrition, malnutrition and severe poverty. More • Establish agro-input manufacturing industries critically, addressing productivity constraints in partnership with the private sector to would go a long in dealing with the problem of produce seed, fertilizer, implements such scarcity of land as farmers would be able to as ploughs and tractors, pesticides and maximize production from the existing units of hydroponics. land at their disposal.

• Promote the establishment of permanent 3.2.4 Agricultural Extension and agro-dealer networks across the country to Appropriate Technology facilitate the distribution of agricultural inputs even in the hard to reach areas. The MCP recognizes the efforts that have been • Provide targeted farm input packages taken to improve the provision of extension including livestock through pass-on services and access to appropriate technology programmes, fertilizer, seed and appropriate but these efforts have not been very successful. farming technologies to vulnerable groups of While the demand-driven extension policy small-scale farmers as defined in the social adopted in 2000 had the potential to transform protection policy. the extension landscape, the practical realities

MCP MANIFESTO 30 2019-2024 have resulted in the marginalization of the • Ensure the introduction and promotion of disadvantaged sections of farmers. This is locally adaptable user-friendly, efficient, cost- the case because post MCP governments effectives and easy to maintain technology to have not adequately resourced the provision spearhead an agricultural revolution. of agricultural extension services and access to appropriate technology, which worsened • Improve access to quality locally adaptable following the introduction of the FISP in the high yielding seed varieties as well as 2005/06 growing season. The marginalization locally adaptable livestock breeds through of extension services and access to appropriate increased funding and investment research technology has resulted in increased incidence and veterinary services. of food insecurity at household and national • Promote mechanization of agriculture with levels. appropriate technology to promote growth and productivity while taking into account The MCP will therefore be committed to the specific challenges of each farming institutional strengthening for provision of community or practice. agricultural extension services and access to appropriate technology as an integral part of • Encourage local production of agriculture the efforts towards an agricultural revolution in machinery in partnership with the private Malawi. In particular, the MCP government will sector so as to ensure that the machinery is pursue an extension strategy with two national adaptable to local conditions and are easy to development goals: maintaining national food maintain. security; and improving rural livelihoods. The MCP’s government strategies will include the • Pilot community owned commercial farming following: enterprises in each district to demonstrate farm mechanizations, use of improved • Review and update the extension policy and technologies such as improved seed, artificial strategy taking into account the different insemination, best farm management needs of different groups of farmers to ensure practices and agricultural marketing. they are served in the best possible manner. The MCP believes that agricultural transformation • Reintroduce training of extension personnel is greatly dependent on the existence of a viable through the establishment of a modern national extension system. This system must Agricultural Extension Training College in make modern technologies available but the Northern Malawi modeled on the former government must play a big role in investing in Natural Resources College (NRC). agricultural research and development in order • Revive and strengthen all farmer training to serve farmers with appropriate technologies and research institutes across the country to that can jumpstart an agricultural revolution. The respond to farmers’ needs and challenges in MCP government will therefore put in place a order to raise agricultural productivity. national agricultural research system with the capability to find new technologies suitable for • Increase funding for agricultural extension local conditions and anchored by an extension services including incentivizing extension system able to disseminate these technologies personnel so that they can perform their role to all farmers. This extension system will have with dedication and commitment. a skilled labour force to master new technology, handle logistics and boost each node of the

MCP MANIFESTO 31 2019-2024 value chain. • Aim to reduce post-harvest losses from 30% to less than 10% in order to maximize the 3.2.5 Market Access and benefits of agricultural production especially Development among smallholder farmers.

The MCP realizes that agricultural development • Strengthen the agro-value chains since well- has been heavily constrained by limited access structured value chains for various agricultural to lucrative domestic and foreign markets by products enable farmers to get access to the majority of farmers in the country. While the finance for their production but also generate challenges relating to access to foreign markets access to markets for their products. may be beyond our control, smallholder farmers • Facilitate the expansion of markets for the should have access to lucrative domestic markets country’s agricultural products by opening on a predictable basis. The MCP’s diagnosis is up more markets, enhance our position with that farmers lack access to lucrative domestic current trade partners such as the EU, US markets largely due to poor infrastructure such and also explore the emerging markets in as roads in rural areas, inadequate availability Africa, India and China. and supply of agricultural information, lack of competition in agricultural marketing, and • Revitalize the operations of the Agricultural inadequate access to financing. Yet as an Development and Marketing Corporation efficient agricultural marketing system plays an through the review of its mandate, important role not only in stimulating production management, recapitalization and re- and consumption but also in accelerating the establishment of its market network across pace of economic development. To facilitate the country. market access and development, the MCP-led government will undertake the following: • Increase access to agricultural finance through the establishment of the Agricultural Finance Bank targeting only agriculturally • Promote farmer clubs and agricultural related business and farming; agricultural cooperatives to increase economies of schemes and cooperatives for various scale and competitiveness since they have livestock, crops and other agricultural activities the potential to maximize profits for their and development of a policy requiring banks members; harness various skill-sets existing to extend at least 30% of their loans to the among members; enhance advocacy agricultural sector. and bargaining power; enhance financial accessibility; enhance access to other • Turn maize into a cash crop by sorting out the production resources such as land, machinery structural bottlenecks that underpin maize and other equipment; boost social capital; marketing and ensure that all cash crops, promote investment; provide educational especially by smallholder farmers, have opportunities; and improve market access ready and lucrative markets. and reduce poverty. Efficient agricultural markets are key to sustained • Encourage value chain addition and agro- agricultural revolution. Such markets stimulate processing to improve the gross margins for the growth of agro-based industries and the farmers both in domestic and export markets overall development process of the economy. for farmers to maximize returns on their They further contribute to increasing the demand investment.

MCP MANIFESTO 32 2019-2024 6. HOMELAND SECURITY AND FOREIGN POLICY on a continuous basis, and thereby guarantee vulnerability including population growth, a higher income to the producer. The MCP will dependence on rain-fed agriculture, high rates be committed to developing such a marketing of malnutrition and HIV/AIDS and inadequate system, which is essential for the success of the power supply. More specifically, the MCP-led development programmes which are designed government will undertake the following: to uplift the population as a whole. • Ensure that the national climate change 3.2.6 Climate Change and policy framework is finalized and every effort Agricultural Development taken to implement priority actions that have been identified for increasing resilience to The MCP acknowledges that the changing climate change. climatic patterns are creating serious challenges • Empower the specific institutions that not only for agriculture but also for other sectors. have been established to coordinate and The impacts of climate change are manifested in implement priority actions for dealing with the various ways such as intense rainfall patterns, adverse effects of climate change to carry out floods, droughts and prolonged dry spells. These their mandates without any undue hindrance. climate change manifestations are undermining the livelihoods of Malawians especially the poor • Invest in actions like river bank protection, by inflicting heavy damages to their property and afforestation, catchment area conservation infrastructure, making them highly susceptible to and disaster management especially at the new forms of disease, creating energy crisis, and local levels. causing dramatic decline in crop yields making them very prone to severe food insecurity. • Help smallholder farmers build resilience These effects are having serious cumulative to climate change by changing agricultural negative impact on economic growth, long-term practices, diversifying livelihoods, promoting prosperity as well as the livelihoods of an already sustainable landscape management, highly vulnerable population. For instance, the advancing gender equality and improving 2015 floods created damages estimated at over access to climate information. US$494 million. Overall, climate change has led to drought and flooding, causing shorter growing • Build the capacity of local governments to seasons, poor crop yields, food shortages, manage the impacts of climate change, hunger and the spread of disease in a country strengthen disaster risk management where about 25% of the population is ultra-poor. systems, and improve capacity to generate and access climate information. The agricultural sector, which is the backbone of the country’s economy, has been heavily • Undertake more effort to enhance the ability adversely affected by climate change. This is a of local governments, communities and major cause of concern for the MCP because local institutions to take on their respective climate sensitive rain-fed agriculture is the major responsibilities in fighting the adverse effects contributor to the GDP and foreign exchange of climate change. earnings and supports the livelihoods of over 80% Malawians who are involved in primary and While the agricultural sector will be the primary secondary agricultural activities. The vision of the focus of the MCP’s fight against the adverse MCP is to effectively contain the climate change effects of climate change, efforts will made to induced challenges that increase the country’s give as much attention as possible to meeting

MCP MANIFESTO 33 2019-2024 adaptation needs in some sectors such as and manufacturers; institutions of higher energy, health, and transport, recognized as learning; agricultural research institutes; farmer being particularly vulnerable to the impacts of organizations; and NGOs. climate change. A holistic approach to dealing with the adverse effects of climate change is 3.3 Energy Access and Security imperative because climate change threatens our ability to feed ourselves, to remain healthy Adequate energy supply is critical to national and safe from extreme weather and to manage economic growth and development. It is, in fact, natural resources that support the country’s argued that if access to energy is poor, it becomes economy. The MCP government will ensure very difficult to attract investment in any sector that there is sufficient attention to institutional and without investment flows, growth prospects capacities, adequate budgetary provisions are limited. This is buttressed by the World Bank, and adequate attention to the country’s policy which states that access to energy is absolutely framework designed to support climate change fundamental in the struggle against poverty such resilient development. that without energy there is no economic growth, there is no dynamism and there is no opportunity. 3.2.7 Management for Agricultural The MCP realizes that Malawi is grappling with Transformation unprecedented energy crisis with only 11% of the total population having access to electricity. The MCP realizes that the agricultural The lack of access to electricity is widespread transformation agenda calls for high level in rural areas with only 2.5% of Malawians in management and leadership. It is an ambitious rural areas having access. The estimated cost of but achievable task that will, among other power outages is equivalent to about 2% of GDP. things, involve a relocation of resources The energy crisis is a result of lack of progressive to sectors that offer the most benefits, investment in, and maintenance of the power technological innovation, and accumulation of sector since the initial investment that was made knowledge and capabilities. To achieve this by the former MCP generating 351MW, which agenda, the MCP government will commit has dwindled to 250MW against the estimated itself to: increased and sustained investment demand of over 2000MW. in agriculture working with farmers, national, regional and international level development The low levels of energy generation have partners and the private sector allocating an resulted in massive deindustrialization leading equivalent of 20% of the annual budget to the to economic decline, job losses, and poor agricultural sector; increase funding to existing services. The vision of the MCP is to leapfrog and new agricultural research initiatives in order energy security for the country and ensure to provide appropriate solutions to Malawi’s that the majority of the population, at least agriculture challenges working with agricultural 50%, has access to electricity and use modern institutions of higher learning, research institutes techniques within the next five years. The goal and private sector led research initiatives; of the MCP-led government will be to promote and promotion of collaborative efforts among access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and partners such as the African Comprehensive modern energy for all Malawians by 2030. The Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP); commitment of the MCP will be to put in place Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA); a strategic, durable and value for money energy multilateral and bilateral donors; private sector generation and distribution infrastructure and including commercial banks, agro-industries network that supports the socio-economic

MCP MANIFESTO 34 2019-2024 development agenda and transformation of the • Promote energy programming, budgeting and country within the next five years. The MCP-led monitoring that routinely address all aspects government will therefore specifically undertake of social, gender and economic development the following to improve access to energy and in energy programmes and services. guarantee energy security for fundamental structural transformation and sustainable • Develop strategies that will ensure cost development: reflective pricing with internationally acceptable returns on investment, which will • Construct a mega dam with the capacity to among other things, include automatic price generate 2000 megawatts as the primary adjustment mechanisms for all sources of source of electricity to completely eliminate energy. power blackouts within the next five years. • Expand electricity generation capacity to • Strengthen the electricity supply industry 2000 megawatts within the first three years and make it more efficient and capable of and to 5000 megawatts within the next 5 to providing adequate affordable electricity 10 years. supply which will enable industrialization, rural transformation, sustainable economic • Decentralize the Department of Energy to development and wealth creation as wells as facilitate the expansion of coverage and regional electricity trading. progressive development of the energy sector in order to meet the stipulated targets. • Move access to electricity from 11% to 60% within the next five years with particular • Promote social and gender inclusion in emphasis on rural areas. energy programmes in both the supply and demand dynamics of the energy sector with • Assess the adequacy, quality and quantity particular focus on the specific challenges in of energy distribution facilities with the aim accessing energy sources. of improving them to meet the current and future demands. The MCP will prioritize the energy sector because it is critical to fundamental structural • Ensure that the country has adequate transformation and sustainable development. production, supplies and stocks of petroleum To take Malawi to the next level of development fuels at all times, complimented with biofuels the energy sector will be at the heart of the at affordable prices. MCP-led government’s development strategy since evidence abound: energy shortages and • Ensure availability of LPG, biogas and natural infrastructure constraints have, and continue gas in sufficient quantities at affordable to impose a heavy cost on the economy, which prices for industrial and domestic processes invariably beset the economy with serious fiscal and enable household and institutions move imbalances threatening its macro-economic away from biomass to LPG, biogas as fuel for stability. cooking and other purposes.

• Ensure the establishment of a vibrant, reliable, incentivized and sustainable private 3.4 TRADE, COMMERCE AND sector driven renewable energy technology INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT industry. Malawi has experienced massive

MCP MANIFESTO 35 2019-2024 deindustrialization over the past two decades income, create sufficient rural and urban jobs, coupled with huge trade deficits with its widen tax base to finance welfare requirements neighbours particularly South Africa. The and address unsustainable trade deficits. The incipient industrialization initiated by the former MCP’s goal is to create decent jobs in excess MCP government could not be sustained 500,000 every two years to dramatically underlined by the apparent decline of the contribute to the reduction of poverty levels and share of manufacturing in GDP from a peak of inequality in the country within the next five years. 20% in 1992 to only around 11% in 2011. This More specifically, the MCP-led government will state of affairs has invariably reduced Malawi undertake the following: to a trading centre instead of developing into a production hub. Malawi is actually a net • Put in place policies and regulatory framework importer of even the most basic products such that will ensure consistency, predictability, as second-hand clothing, electronic appliances, fairness, security of property rights and foodstuffs and even tooth picks. The massive prioritise improvement of doing business deindustrialization and huge trade deficits are indicators to support the private sector and attributed to underdeveloped infrastructure such attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as roads and rails; extremely low and unreliable • Prioritise local participation in FDIs through energy supply; unpredictable and cumbersome joint venture arrangements, franchises, regulatory framework; investor unfriendly tax or business linkages that ensures there is regime; high cost of capital with lending rates transfer of knowledge and skills. in excess of 35%; poor land tenure systems leading to difficulties in accessing land; lack of • Establish four fully serviced economic zones an elaborate empowerment policy; high levels as havens for investment and industrialization of bureaucratic red-tape; high transaction costs; development for each region to spur equitable information asymmetry; and more importantly development and employment opportunities. high levels of rent seeking behaviour especially among political leaders and bureaucrats. • Enhance participation of indigenous Malawians in major government procurement The MCP realizes that there is need for significant and investment initiatives such as the industrial development, trade and commerce Universal Subsidy Program, construction of if we are to achieve high economic growth school blocks, affordable housing and the and poverty reduction on a meaningful scale. general supply of goods and services. This is in tune with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) nine, which advocates for building • Establish an economic empowerment fund resilient infrastructure, promoting sustainable that will be administered at affordable interest industrialization and fostering innovation. The rates and to be managed through a financial MCP will build on the existing National Industrial intermediary targeting the small and medium Policy and National Trade Policy to push the enterprises. trade, commerce and industrial development agenda by making sure that the necessary • Promote rural industrialization through institutional structures, processes and systems cottage industries cognizance of commodity are put in place to facilitate their comprehensive value chains and opportunities available at implementation. The vision of the MCP is to the grassroots level preside over a trade, commerce and industrial • Introduce a differentiated tax incentive development agenda that will raise per capita scheme to attract investments in specific

MCP MANIFESTO 36 2019-2024 industries that have the potential to spur town and city master plans so as to curb increased exports and to effect equitable bureaucratic red-tape that characterize geographic distribution of industries and efforts of investors desiring to acquire land. economic activity throughout the country. The MCP is committed to trade, commerce • Enhance integration of the Malawi economy and industrial development because it realizes into the global market through various that progression from low income to middle global initiatives including multi-lateral, and upper income country status rests heavily regional, bilateral agreements, commodity on successful regional and global markets. agreements, and the strategic use of Malawi Moreover, competitiveness in international missions abroad. markets has a huge bearing on a country’s overall macro-economic performance and development • Create designated spaces in metropoles prospects. The MCP will thus endeavor to as markets for Malawian merchandize only develop a trade, commerce and industrial to entrench and promote the buy Malawian development regime that will create spaces in strategy. which the private and public sector actors can • Establish village factories as an integral part come together to solve problems while sharing of rural industrialization by exploiting the experiences. comparative advantages of different localities across the country. 3.5 MINING AND RESOURCE GOVERNANCE • Undertake investment promotion which is key to enhancing industrialization and attracting Mining has great potential to contribute to the foreign direct investment. country’s fundamental structural transformation and sustainable development. The ambition • Review and improve the national export stated in various policy documents since the turn strategy in order to expand the country’s of the Century has been to raise the contribution export base as a way of diversifying the of the mining sector to 20% of the country’s country’s national economy. GDP by 2020. Estimates indicate that currently mining and quarrying contribute between 0.9% • Promote the development of Small and 2% to the country’s GDP. This is attributed to and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the absence of a viable management regime to Cooperatives, which play a crucial role in ensure that the country fully maximizes benefits employment creation and poverty reduction from the mining sector. The MCP believes that as well as serve as a viable channel for the capacity of a country to meaningfully benefit advancing forward and backward linkages in from mining is directly linked to its governance the economy. architecture. A well-governed country is more likely to maximize the contribution of mining by • Transform the informal business sector into negotiating good terms with mining companies; a vehicle for job creation supported with an collective managing and spending revenues appropriate policy framework to serve the wisely; and creating an enabling environment to needs of youth and women who dominate enhance employment. There is currently limited this sector. transparency and accountability especially in the • Improve access to productive land for issuance of mining licenses and management of industrial development in a context of proper proceeds from mining. The MCP government will

MCP MANIFESTO 37 2019-2024 create a viable and robust mining management based Country Mining Vision (CMV). regime with an optimal mix of legal, regulatory, fiscal, environmental and social development • Develop and operationalize the sector’s policy tools and approaches. The MCP is laboratory services ensure that testing of committed to doing the following in the mining both mineral and petroleum samples is done and resource governance sector: locally.

• Implement the new mining policy and its • Implement the Artisanal and Small Scale related laws and regulations to ensure that Mining (ASM) policy which favours ASM sub- appropriate institutional and legal settings, sector and among other things, promotes safeguards and quality control are in place. formalization of ASM illegal miners and the existence of small-scale miners through • Revise Malawi’s Petroleum (Exploration formation of cooperatives. and Production) Act, 1983 so that our laws adhere to international standards and • Develop the ASM sector by championing the are also capable of addressing emerging identification of potential mineral buyers and sectoral issues such as technical, fiscal and re-establishing the abandoned Gemstone environmental challenges. Marketing Centres across the country.

• Develop the sector’s local content policy to • Finalize geo-mineral resource mapping across ensure that Malawians benefit directly from the country and develop a comprehensive the investment activities. exploitation plan in line with the country’s strategic national development goals. • Promote the sector so that it emerges as an attractive destination for investment by both • Order immediate stop of all illegal mining local and international companies through activities across the country in order to strict adherence to, and compliance with the ensure that the country’s mineral deposits laws. are exploited to the benefit of a nation.

• Promote transparency and accountability • Develop a Comprehensive Mining Strategy in the issuance of mining licenses and (CMS) that provides for domestic and foreign management of the proceeds for the sector to investment in mining; joint venture mining meaningfully contribute to cause of national operations involving state, communities development through the attainment of win- and international investors; publication of win situations between the country and the monthly reports on mining operations and investors as enshrined in the African Mining incomes generated; and provide guidelines Vision (AMV). for effective corporate social responsibility strategies. • Ensure consistent and factual updates to all stakeholders on progress made in both solid The MCP realizes that mining presents and petroleum sectors as provided in the opportunities, challenges and risks to sustainable laws of the country. development. Our motivation is to get the framework that governs mineral resources right • Domesticate the AMV, Africa Resource as a critical first step to leveraging mining for Utilization Strategy, and Hope Strategy broader national development. The ultimate goal adopted by the African Heads of State in 2009 of the MCP’s government mining regime will be to by coming up with a workable and investment

MCP MANIFESTO 38 2019-2024 ensure that adequate institutional and technical realization of tourism’s full potential, the MCP led capacity of different stakeholders is developed government will: to effectively implement the policies, tools and approaches to manage mining more sustainably. • Promote a wide range of incentives over and above the existing tax incentives to promote 3.6 TOURISM tourism in the country. • Improve the infrastructure network especially The MCP recognizes that tourism is one of the roads and hotels to ensure that tourists have critical drivers of Malawi’s economy. Existing access all year round and enjoy access to statistics show that tourism is the third foreign decent facilities commensurate to their status. exchange earner after tobacco and tea. This means that tourism significantly contributes both • Improve the quality and standards of the to the country’s GDP and economic growth. country’s international airports since as a Tourism is thriving in Malawi though not yet to point of entry airports give the first overall its full potential due to the country’s mixture of impression of the country. beautiful landscapes, fascinating wildlife and rich culture that combine to make Malawi such a • Develop a tourism marketing plan to guide wonderful place to visit. To move towards the full

MCP MANIFESTO 39 2019-2024 the promotion of various tourist attractions in country’s GDP. the country for use particularly in our foreign missions. The MCP government will prioritize the development of tourism because it is a proven • Exploit social media as an instrument for catalyst for economic and social development. promoting Malawi as an attractive tourist This is attributed to tourism’s tremendous trickle- destination. down effects in terms of poverty alleviation, boosting employment creation and small • Organize regular tourism promotion events business entrepreneurship. The MCP commits to targeting both local and international tourists. massively invest in the progressive development • Establish new Lake Malawi tourist cities in of the tourism sector to a level that its potential Karonga, Salima and Mangochi as a strategy is fully exploited in the interest of the country’s to boost the contribution of the tourism to the overall national development agenda.

MCP MANIFESTO 40 2019-2024 4. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

quitable redistributive social policies will it is able to produce students with knowledge, the hallmark of the capable democratic skills, expertise and competence to meet the Edevelopmental state that the MCP will needs of a rapidly transforming economy. The put place after the May 21, 2019 elections. The vision of the MCP is to develop and implement MCP believes that social policies are tools for an equitable quality education system for all sustainable socio-economic development. For Malawians. Such a well-performing, high quality, example, cost effective public provision of health equitable and stable education system needs and education can bring about improvements an adequate number of well-trained teachers in labour force quality that can, in turn, raise supported by an efficient administration. The efficiency and accelerate productivity growth. MCP-led government will focus on preschool, The view of the MCP is that social development is primary, secondary and tertiary levels. The goal about improving the wellbeing of every individual of the MCP will be making sure that children get in society so that they can reach their full a good start in their education, which goes a long potential, which requires the removal of barriers way to increasing their success later in life. The so that all citizens can move toward their dreams following will be done in the education sector to with confidence and dignity. The vision of the make it effectively contribute to the overall agenda MCP is to ensure that every Malawian has the of the capable democratic developmental state. opportunity to grow, develop their own skills and contribute to their families, communities and the Preschool nation in a meaningful way. If they are healthy, well-educated to enter the workforce and able to • Ensure that each and every child has access make a decent wage they are better equipped to to decent preschool facilities to fully prepare meet their basic needs and be successful. The them for a life-long learning commitment. success of any society is linked to the wellbeing • Encourage both the private sector and of each and every citizen. The primary focus of religious institutions to invest in preschool an MCP-led government in social development education facilities so as to ensure that no will be on education, health, social protection, child is left behind even in the hard to reach gender and social inclusion, water and sanitation areas. and youth development. The MCP sees these areas as being critical to helping people to move • Invest in the development of a critical mass of forward on their path to self-sufficiency and full care givers in the preschool facilities so that realization of their potential. The implementation they are able to give the child a head start for of the social development policies will be guided their education careers. by the realization that social development means investing in people. • Develop an incentive scheme for the care givers to serve as a benchmark for both public 4.1 EDUCATION and private preschool education providers.

The MCP believes that education is a powerful Primary School driver of development. It is therefore imperative for a country to have a sound education • Enforce the legislation that makes primary system because it lays the foundation for school education compulsory to make sure strengthening countries’ democratic and that no child is left behind. economic development. The MCP’s desire is • Ensure that all schools have modern to revamp Malawi’s education system so that classroom blocks and supplied with all the

MCP MANIFESTO 41 2019-2024 necessary facilities including teaching and discrimination against deserving students. learning materials and qualified teachers. • Promote free public secondary education to • Ensure that each and every primary school guarantee access even to those coming from going child sits on a desk and does not disadvantaged families and backgrounds. learn either under a tree or in dilapidated classrooms including those that are grass • Ensure that all schools have modern thatched unless they are professionally done classroom blocks and are supplied with all by 2024. the necessary facilities including teaching and learning materials and qualified teachers. • Improve the conditions of service for teachers by among other things providing them with • Review the secondary school curriculum to decent housing; a predictable career and ensure that it is diversified to include technical promotion structure; and clearing all salary and vocational skills so that those that exit and leave grant arrears. at this level are able to earn independent livelihoods. • Provide free sanitary pads to all adolescent girls in all primary schools across the country. • Ensure that every secondary has a fully equipped and functioning Information and Secondary School Communication Technology (ICT) to facilitate the development of a science and technology • Abolish quota system in the selection of drive economy. students to secondary schools to guarantee meritorious access and end undue • Reintroduce the Junior Certificate of

MCP MANIFESTO 42 2019-2024 Education as a strategy to monitor and curricula such that they should be able to improve students’ academic performance produce graduates who are not only oriented during their secondary school education. to be employed but they are also financially literate and able to engage entrepreneurship. • Improve the conditions of service for teachers by, among other things, providing them with • Increase investment in research, science, and decent housing; a predictable career and technology in order to transform Malawi into promotion structure; and clearing all salary a knowledge-based economy targeting the and leave grant arrears. youth in the driving seat through innovation, youth-preneurships, and high productivity in • Provide free sanitary pads to all girls in all industry, agriculture, commerce and trade. secondary schools across the country. • Promote science and technology for a • Ensure that all secondary schools have knowledge-based economy by the removal of electricity within the first three years of the the relevant taxes to reduce the cost of data MCP government either from the national grid by over 70%; furnish every new qualifying or other alternative sources such as solar. university student with a personal laptop; and provide public universities and other Tertiary Level public spaces with access to free broadband • Abolish the quota system of selecting Internet Service. students to public universities and guarantee • Provide free sanitary pads to all girls in all meritorious access to all deserving student tertiary institutions across the country. regardless of their place of origin, religion and socio-economic status. • Expand existing infrastructure in public universities to provide more learning • Expand university space and facilities through space and hostels so that students are strategic investments in existing public and not accommodated outside the university private universities to be able to absorb campus. over 15,000 students who apply for tertiary education annually. The MCP will leave no stone unturned in the • Ensure that all deserving students access quest to establish an equitable, progressive, tertiary education and are enabled to efficient and effective education system since no complete their programmes with particular country can achieve sustainable development focus on those coming from economically without substantial investment in human capital. challenges or poor backgrounds identified The MCP government will revamp the education through robust system of means testing. system to enable learners to acquire knowledge, develop conceptual and intellectual skills, • Review the existing university fee structures attitudes, values and aptitudes proportionate with the view of coming up structures that with societal, economic and environmental enable universities meet their obligations realities at national and international levels. The but at the same time ensuring that university ultimate goal of the MCP government will be to education is affordable to all deserving propagate an education system that produces Malawians. men and women who can think, who can make new scientific discoveries, who can find more • Encourage universities to review their adequate solutions, who cannot be brainwashed,

MCP MANIFESTO 43 2019-2024 men and women who can adapt to change and • Strengthen laws to provide for stiffer maintain sanity in the age of acceleration. punishment for all medical practitioners stealing drugs and equipment including 4.2 HEALTH requiring all medical practitioners to disclose potential conflict of interest. The goal of the MCP government will be to ensure universal access to decent fee public health • Increase the number of District Environmental services to all Malawians. This will, however, Health Officers (DEHOs) and Health require reconfiguring the country’s health system Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) in order to since it is currently in a state of flux. It is only a promote more preventive health services well-functioning health system which can provide at the community level supported with the an entire population with access to appropriate, necessary requirements to execute this role acceptable and effective medical care. The efficiently and effectively. reconfiguration of the health system will, among • Increase funding for better maternal and child other things, target to enhance the efficiency of health care in order to reduce by 50% the health institutions across the hierarchy. The MCP maternal and child mortality rates in the next believes that investing in the health system not five years, which is currently at 5.7/1000 live only saves lives, it is a crucial investment in the births and 38.9/1000 live births respectively. wider economy. Ill-health impairs productivity, hinders job prospects, and adversely affects • Improve mental health services by among human capital development. The vision of the other things increasing funding for mental MCP-led government will therefore be to create health and constructing a new mental hospital a healthy system that promotes healthy living in Lilongwe. conditions and prevents diseases before they even begin since this is more cost effective than • Establish the Malawi Pharmaceutical treatment. More specifically, the MCP commits to Company (MPC) to manufacture generic undertake the following in the health sector. drugs and other health equipment within Malawi to ensure availability of affordable • Ensure that no Malawian dies in hospital due medicines in the health facilities while at the to negligence, unhygienic practices, or lack same time creating employment. of basic health facilities. • Increase funding to CHAM hospitals • Review and adequately fund the country’s including enlisting more service providers primary health care system to ensure that from the private sector employing a similar there is more emphasis on prevention than arrangement to CHAM’s in order to ensure treatment. universal health coverage to all.

• Improve the District Health Information • Set up a National Health Insurance which Management Systems (DHIS) by ensuring will primarily cater for costs of specialized real time reporting and monitoring of health treatment provided in either private or public systems and operations across the hierarchy. hospitals run on a professional basis.

• Adopt a zero-tolerance policy to drug pilferage • Undertake comprehensive health system by installing real time monitoring systems for review in order to establish a fit-for-purpose drugs in all health facilities. health system that will deliver a healthier Malawi that is more productive, educated and

MCP MANIFESTO 44 2019-2024 prosperous. water and sanitation are vital to social and economic development of society. The MCP-led • Pursue and commit to the UNAIDS 2014 government will undertake the following in the build strategy dubbed as the 90-90-90 which water and sanitation sector: targets to ensuring that 90% of people living with HIV know their status, 90% of the people • Make water available to all Malawians diagnosed with HIV are put on treatment, and especially in the rural areas through a network 90% of the people on treatment achieve an of piped water schemes and boreholes where undetectable viral load by 2020. it is not feasible to do so.

• • Address the lifestyle diseases such • Ensure that every Malawian in every village as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity has access to safe and portable water within and cancer by promoting health living and the next three years. lifestyles through sports and recreation and treatment for those affected. • Revamp and modernize water and sanitation systems in all the major towns and cities The MCP government will undertake a holistic across the country. approach to ensuring the existence of an effective • Construct the Lake Malawi-Lilongwe water health system, which is essential for providing project to ensure that the capital city and care for the sick, and for instituting measures surrounding districts have sustainable water that promote wellness and prevent disease. supply. Investment in roads can improve access to health services; inflation targets can constrain An integral part of the water and sanitation health spending; and civil service reform can interventions will be emphasis on hygiene. The create opportunities or limits to hiring more MCP realizes that clean drinking water and health workers. Getting the health of a nation good sanitation would not prevent infections right is very critical because the World Bank without practicing good hygiene. The MCP has demonstrated that about 50% of economic fully subscribes to the view that water is a growth differentials between developing and basic necessity, and an important resource for developed nations are attributed to poor health sustaining life. and low life expectancy. In other words, better health is central to human happiness, progress 4.4 GENDER EQUALITY AND and prosperity. SOCIAL INCLUSION 4.3 WATER AND SANITATION The MCP government takes inspiration from the Republican Constitution to advance gender The MCP government will prioritize water and equality and social inclusion as a fundamental sanitation because access to safe drinking water cornerstone of a capable democratic and good sanitation are vital for family well-being. developmental state. Section 13 of the It results in control of waterborne diseases, and Constitution espouses fundamental principles of boosts child health. Existing statistics show that national policy designed to ensure that the state diarrheal diseases are the leading cause of death actively promotes the welfare and development of particularly for children under five in Malawi. Malawians. This is further reinforced by Section 30 The MCP government will therefore facilitate of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to the implementation of interventions in the water development for all Malawians. The commitment and sanitation sector with full knowledge that

MCP MANIFESTO 45 2019-2024 to gender equality and social inclusion is sealed • Construct a state-of-the-art national netball with the enactment of the Gender Equality Act complex capable of hosting international of 2013. The MCP is committed to advancing competitions to fast tract our 10-year goal to gender equality because it drives tremendous become the number one netballing country gains in health, education, employment including in the world. improving livelihoods. The desire of the MCP is to create a Malawi in which men and women • Ensure that qualified people with disabilities are valued equally, enjoying equal opportunities, are considered for public appointments in equal treatment and equal entitlements. Women, all spheres of the bureaucracy such as civil youth, people with disabilities, orphans and service, parastatals and foreign missions. vulnerable children, minorities and ethnic groups • Ensure that all facilities for public use including have to fully participate in the country’s political, commercial facilities are disability friendly so economic and social life, especially since they as to ensure that people with disabilities fully constitute the disproportionate share of the total participate in everyday life. population. The MCP regards social inclusion as an integral part of, and boosting shared • Use available technology to implement a prosperity. To achieve such a Malawi, the MCP- household level GSM alarm system with led government will undertake the following: satellite tracking capability that would be sued to alert the community and police in case of • Strengthen gender mainstreaming and the abductions of persons with albinism. participation of the disadvantaged groups such as people with disabilities, orphans • Revise the laws to ensure that abducting and and vulnerable children in all sectors of the killing people with albinism is a capital offence economy in order to accelerate economic punishable by death without the option for growth and poverty reduction. clemency.

• Adopt a zero-tolerance policy with regard • Build Special Needs Learning Centres to trafficking in persons and child labour by (SNLCs) in every council, which will comprise developing strategies to ensure that risks appropriate and accessible school blocks to of trafficking in persons and child labour cater for kindergarten, primary and secondary are assessed, mitigated, monitored and schools with boarding facilities. addressed. • Incentivize Government Print and private • Redress gender imbalance in employment institutions to produce adequate braille and appointment of women in decision making education materials and facilities for positions targeting a 50/50 balance within the examination. next five years while working to promote high levels of efficiency and effectiveness in the • Encourage importers of computers to make public service. available voice and touch based computer programmes to assist children with visual • Support the Ministry of Gender with adequate impairment from an early stage. funding to review, design and implement proactive programmes to take children off the • Develop a critical mass of teachers for Special street giving them the opportunity to develop Needs Education who will be supported by into mature and responsible citizens. government scholarships both here at home and abroad.

MCP MANIFESTO 46 2019-2024 • Provide bursaries to all children with public works programmes, school feeding disabilities and/or albinism qualifying for programme, village and savings loans (VSLs) tertiary education whether in universities, and micro-finance. Social protection is thus community or technical colleges to ensure concerned with protecting and helping those that they meaningfully contribute to the cause who are poor and vulnerable such as children, of national development. women, older people, people with disabilities, the displaced, the unemployed, and the sick. • Fight stigma and discrimination against The vision of the MCP is to implement a social people living with HIV/AIDS to ensure that protection system that has transformative impact. they live a healthy life and meaningfully This kind of social protection will not just alleviate participate in the country’s political, economic poverty but also transform lives through pursuing and social life. policies that rebalance the unequal power relations which cause vulnerabilities. The MCP • Change laws to criminalize harmful and thus views social protection as an investment cultural practices in order to dissuade in human capital, which increases capacities in non-compliance while at the same time the accumulation of productive assets breaking intensifying public education programmes the intergenerational transmission of poverty. and the engagement of traditional leaders to The efforts of the MCP in social protection will lead the fight against such practices. be making youth employment an integral part of the interventions designed. The commitments The overarching belief of the MCP is that the of the MCP in the realm of social protection will vision of sustainable development can only designed to improve opportunities for inclusive be achieved by equitable and meaningful growth, human capital development and social participation of all gender, sexuality, social class, stability and will include the following: tribe and ethnicity in the country’s political, economic and social life. When men, women, • End the abduction and killing of people with people with disabilities and representatives albinism by making these crimes a capital from disadvantaged groups participate in policy offence punishable by death without the formulation and decision making it leads to more option for clemency. responsive policies and decisions and improved distribution of services. The bottom line is that • Implement the National Action Plan for gender inequality and social exclusion have protecting persons with albinism and very damaging consequences for human capital introduce social cash transfers for them to development which lies at the heart of any have a dignified way of life. efforts geared toward fundamental structural transformation and sustainable development. • Increase the proportion of government’s funding commitment to social protection to 4.5 SOCIAL PROTECTION widen coverage at household and community levels. The MCP realizes that social protection is • Fast track reforms designed to improve the becoming more and more recognized as a key institutional and organizational framework for driver of sustainable development. The MCP delivering social protection interventions that government will build on the existing efforts of maximizes strategic impact. social protection that distinguishes five forms of interventions, namely: social cash transfers, • Work with relevant development partners to

MCP MANIFESTO 47 2019-2024 fully institutionalize a social protection system MCP government directed at youth development that is shock sensitive and guarantees will include the following: household resilience to ensure sustained poverty escapes. • Introduce a National Youth Service (NYS) and Jobs4Youth Programme that will • Introduce and experiment with a new range offer vocational skills training to all youth of social protection such as old age pension, completing secondary school and tertiary child grants and predictable public works education including all of the currently out of programmes. school youth.

• Establish a National Truth and Reconciliation • Treat young people as partners in Commission to facilitate a nationwide development since meaningful change can process of addressing prevailing historical be made only by working with the youth. wounds and charting a united way forward. • Create more opportunities for young people, Social protection is a critical area in the realm of reach out to more diverse young people and social development because it facilitates social work towards the eradication of youth poverty. justice through risk management, sustainable financial structures, pension and social transfers. • Equip young people with the skills and The underlying belief of the MCP is that social opportunities to reach their potential through, protection is the driver of sustainable economic inter alia, establishment of vocational training development rather than some kind of reward institutions. for successful development. In fact, viable and • Invest in young people skills that will endure robust social protection systems are an effective and are properly aligned with employer needs tool in building a country’s resilience and through extensive review of existing curricula. capacities to respond to crisis. Such systems can actually help manage disasters in a more • Engage the youth in positive activities predictable and sustainable way. The ultimate through churches, NGOs, private sector and goal of the MCP will be to make social protection other voluntary organizations to support the a human right and an entitlement against low development of the necessary personal and standards of living. social skills for them to be able to deal with

4.6 YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

The linchpin of the MCP’s youth policy is to build the capacity of the youth as key agents for social change and economic development. This should foster the determination of young people to improve the social, political and economic fabric of society. The youth will be a priority for the MCP government because they represent a significant and growing human resource with potential to contribute to sustainable development. Yet in the current set-up the youth lack basic opportunities to develop their potential. The strategies of the

MCP MANIFESTO 48 2019-2024 various challenges in life. processes as well as reach their potential.

• Develop a youth leadership programme The ultimate goal of the MCP government will be through the National Service Scheme as a to prepare young people to be healthy, productive, platform for involving youth at all levels in the and engaged citizens. Representing 60% of the country’s development efforts. population, the MCP believes that the youth are a demographic dividend that has to be exploited • Implement fully the provisions of the youth in the noble cause of national development policy, which aims to empower the youth and encourage their participation in development

MCP MANIFESTO 49 2019-2024 5. INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

he MCP subscribes to the view that a GDP estimated at 3.5% higher than its current sound infrastructural foundation is the key contribution at 1.2%. Moreover, infrastructure Tto the overall development of a country. facilities are like wheels of development without Such infrastructure acts as a magnet for which the economy cannot function properly. attracting additional investment in a country and thus provides a competitive edge to it over other 5.1 ROAD TRANSPORT countries. The MCP conceives infrastructure as NETWORK comprising a whole spectrum of vital services such as roads, civil aviation, shipping, railways, power Malawi’s road transport infrastructure is grossly generation transmission, telecommunications, inadequate and compared with our neighboring postal services and urban development and countries, the road network is extremely poor. planning. The belief of the MCP is that availability As high as 84% of Malawi’s road network, of adequate and efficient infrastructural set up representing 11,378 km is unpaved and has not only promotes rapid industrialization but also either an earth or gravel surface. The urban improves the quality of life of the people. This road network represents 43% of the total paved is why during the first MCP administration; a road surface which is estimated at 4,073 km. comprehensive infrastructural development road The concern of the MCP is that maintenance map was put in place to facilitate its progressive of paved roads is poor leading to progressive realization as an absolute necessity for rapid deterioration of road quality. Post-1994, road achievement of sustainable economic growth. infrastructure development is highly politicized and not strategic as it is not usually linked The major concern for the MCP is that there economic activities. National roads such as has not been any significant addition to the the M1 are extremely narrow, poorly marked stock of infrastructure that existed prior to and signposted, with no lighting, with narrow the transition to democracy in May 1994. bridges, with limited guard rails or fencing to Most of the infrastructure is in a sorry state prevent encroachment of livestock thereby of disrepair and most of the post May 1994 making them prone to accidents. This state of infrastructure is sub-standard characterized by affairs can be attributed to poor workmanship poor workmanship sometimes disintegrating on the part of contractors and politicization of even before it is formally commissioned. The poor state of infrastructure is making it very challenging for us as country to achieve rapid inclusive and sustainable development. The MCP government will therefore be committed to implementing a comprehensive infrastructural development programme that will be supportive to the country’s overall development efforts under the aegis of the capable democratic developmental state. The MCP government will pay particular attention to road transport network; railway network; water transport; air transport; Information Communication Technology (ICT); and urban development and planning within the next five years. The ultimate goal of the MCP government will be to fully exploit the potential contribution of infrastructure to the country’s

MCP MANIFESTO 50 2019-2024 the road infrastructure projects, including the better standards, and new roads constructed. choice of which roads to improve. The MCP is committed to developing a strategic, durable and • Upgrade the M1 road to the state of art from value for money road infrastructure network that Nsanje to Chitipa to facilitate efficient and supports inclusive growth and development on effective communication across the country. a sustainable basis. More specifically, the MCP government will undertake the following: The need for an improved road network need not be overemphasized because sub-standard • Ensure full implementation of the Transport infrastructure not only holds back economic Master Plan by providing adequate funding development but it also causes additional costs to all agencies involved in its implementation. in terms of time, effort and money of the people accessing essential services such as healthcare, • Improve the design of the urban or residential education and markets. The MCP is committed road network providing for proper drainage to developing a viable road network because facilities, pedestrian or cyclist pavements, and ready availability of road transport expands the sign post them to make them user friendly. market for agricultural and industrial products • Establish modern bus terminals in every and thereby enable producers to produce on a district across the country and introduce large scale and reap the benefits of economies city lines and the Futran System to address of scale. This is imperative for a predominantly urban transportation problems. agro-based economy like ours.

• Revive the construction and maintenance of 5.2 RAIL NETWORK rural feeder roads modelled on the District Road Improvement and Maintenance Rail transportation is limited and the infrastructure Programme (DRIMP). is dilapidated, despite it being historically the most important system for freight and bulk • Promote transparency and accountability in transportation. The national rail network only procurement and administration of contractors covers the south and central regions of the country. to ensure value for all investments. There is no rail line in the whole of the northern

• Depoliticise road development programmes and ensure that prioritization of road infrastructure is based on strategic economic benefits.

• Invest in partnership with the private sector in the construction of 8,000km of new bitumen standard roads linking and opening up all major centres in rural and urban areas to commerce and social services.

• Establish joint ventures with the private sector, through public-private-partnership (PPP) models, Build-to-Operate (BTO) models, which will ensure that existing roads and bridges are upgraded and rehabilitated to

MCP MANIFESTO 51 2019-2024 region. Almost 200 km of rail between Limbe and transport. Marka in Nsanje is in a state of disrepair. Loading capacity of the rail lines is low, ranging from 15– • Integrate the rail network with other transport 18 tonnes, per axle. There is also underutilization modes, especially road and water transport of the rail transport infrastructure, especially for to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. freight transportation, with preference being • Introduce modern rail vehicles that achieve given to road haulage despite rail haulage being higher speeds and rail lines that have higher the cheaper option. Currently there is no urban load capacity to improve rail transport rail network serving the urban population which efficiency and effectiveness. makes up 2.5% of the population in Malawi. In addition, the rail network is not fully integrated • Put in place a deliberate government policy with other transport modes such as air, water to use rail transport for haulage of key and road transport. The MCP believes that the strategic commodities such as petroleum demands of a growing economy requires railway products and agricultural inputs as a way of network to expand its freight network, increase reducing transport costs and making goods its ability to carry larger weight per wagon and and services affordable to the majority of the efficiency of the rail system for faster delivery. Malawians. The rail network has not expanded in Malawi post 1994 because of sheer neglect of existing • Upgrade and improve management of rail transport infrastructure, lack of development Malawi Cargo Handling Facilities at Mbeya of new rail infrastructure and deliberate sabotage and Dar es Salaam to enhance efficiency, of use of rail in favour of road trucking by the effectiveness and responsiveness. powerful political elite. The MCP government will undertake the following to revive, expand The position of the MCP is that the rail network is and develop a reliable, efficient and efficient rail a very important infrastructure whose expansion transport system: and efficient operation is indispensable for the rapid growth of an economy. The MCP will be • Invest in partnership with the private sector in determined to improve the reach and quality the construction and rehabilitation of 5,000km of the railway services to effectively contribute of existing and new railway networks linking to the transformation of the economy under and opening up all major centres in rural and the auspices of the capable democratic urban areas. developmental state. • Review of the concession of the rail and re- 5.3 WATER TRANSPORT negotiate the management of rail transport with the view to improving the efficiency and Malawi is uniquely blessed with perennial water effectiveness in service delivery. bodies such as Lake Malawi, the Shire River and • Develop urban rail transport infrastructure other rivers which cover the entire length and and network in major cities including rail breadth of the country. Lake Malawi alone covers stations for passengers and goods. over 20% of Malawi’s land surface. However, despite the fact that the entire length of Lake • Expand the rail network to the northern region Malawi and most of upper Shire is navigable, and link it with the Tanzania Zambia Railway there is limited use of water transport. The few line (TAZARA) network to promote the use water transport vessels available were bought of railway as a cheaper alternative mode of by the MCP administration and are currently

MCP MANIFESTO 52 2019-2024 • Introduce a deliberate policy by government to promote water transport for key strategic transport needs and tourism especially on Lake Malawi.

• Introduce more modern water transport vessels, for both cargo and passenger services, to ply on all ports around Lake Malawi.

• Upgrade all existing port facilities at Chilumba, Nkhatabay, Chipoka and Monkeybay to ensure that they are in line with requirements of the marine industry.

• Develop landing docks in all ports on Lake Malawi for docking of commercial and pleasure vehicles and boats. old and dilapidated due to lack of maintenance The MCP believes that water transport is a very by all post-1994 regimes. The major ports of key infrastructure for boosting international trade. Monkey-bay in the South, Chipoka in the Centre Through ports, goods are exported to other and Chilumba and Nkhatabay in the North are in countries and raw materials imported relatively poor condition and only Chilumba and Chipoka cheaply. Without efficient ports it is not possible can handle cargo. Like the rail transport network, to expand foreign trade. Reliable water transport the water transport network is not well integrated infrastructure raises productivity levels in the with other modes of transport such as air, roads economy and brings down costs of enterprises, and rail to enhance efficiency and effectiveness which greatly contributes to rapid economic of transport services. The current poor state of growth and inclusive development. water transport is as a result of lack of investment as well as sheer neglect in preference to road 5.4 AIR TRANSPORT haulage. The MCP commits to establish a vibrant water transport sector that contributes The main concern of the MCP is that the main positively to economic growth and development air transport infrastructure is dilapidated while by undertaking the following:

• Provide for competition in the water transport sub-sector to diversify operators and reduce costs hence make it affordable to the majority of Malawians.

• Revamping and/or establish training and support institutions for water transport in order to produce a critical mass of personnel to operate the industry with high levels of safety.

MCP MANIFESTO 53 2019-2024 the rest is undeveloped despite a head start • Establish a new National Airliner, which will during the previous MCP government. There are service both domestic and international only two international airports, namely Kamuzu routes and review policy and constraints International and Chileka International. The affecting the airline industry so as to increase runway at Chileka is in poor condition and Chileka the fleet of aircrafts for domestic operators. airport neither has an instrument landing system nor radar. There are also 26 airfields but these • Revamp and upgrade all out airports to are basic airstrips of grass or low-grade material international standards including airdromes and with little or no navigation equipment or so as to connect all strategic tourist buildings associated with them. The sector also destinations. suffers from the absence of airport infrastructure in strategic tourist destinations such as Salima, The MCP bemoans the fact that Malawi Airlines Nkhatabay and Mangochi as well as the lack does not operate any domestic flights apart from of designated and affordable domestic flights. the Lilongwe-Blantyre route. There used to be There is also a limited number of carriers domestic flight services to destinations such serving the market, which makes traveling out of as Likoma, Mzuzu, Chelinda Camp in Nyika Malawi very difficult. The decline in air transport Plateau, Karonga and Chitipa. This has not in Malawi can be contributed to negligence only contributed to the decline in tourism in the of investment and maintenance of airport country but has also denied Malawians a truly infrastructure and facilities, lack of investment safe and quick means of transport, necessary for of airport infrastructure in strategic tourist socio-economic growth of the country. Moreover, destinations and protected market for domestic air transport is very vital to international air travel operations. The MCP government connectivity especially in the contemporary age will deliver a vibrant air transport system and of globalization. robust and modern airport infrastructure through undertaking the following: 5.5 INFORMATION COMMUNICATION • Prioritize the development of critical air TECHNOLOGY travel infrastructure and facilities across the country targeting primarily strategic tourist The MCP realizes that Information destinations, particularly Mzuzu, Chitipa, Communication Technology (ICT) occupies a Salima, Mangochi and Nkhatabay. very importance place in the modern knowledge and science driven economy. Both E-commerce • Provide a deliberate policy to encourage and E-governance require sophisticated ICT senior government officials to use domestic infrastructure. While the MCP acknowledges air travel to boost domestic air travel business the efforts that have been made to improve the and cut costs. country’s ICT infrastructure, the penetration remains low. The quality of service is generally • Expand Chileka Airport to become an poor and the cost of service very high. The International Airport that fully meets the ICT and telecommunications infrastructure is international quality and safety standards. also grossly underdeveloped with most rural • Open domestic operation license to other areas having limited access to mobile phone operators to increase the volume of traffic connectivity, limited TV and radio signal, very and open strategic tourist destinations limited broadband internet access. The MCP’s diagnosis is that the ICT sector faces several constraints, which include limited capacity of

MCP MANIFESTO 54 2019-2024 service providers, lack of competition in the pay particular attention to policy for better industry, limited customer base, the high cost spectrum management, strengthening a national of investment especially with regards to initial fibre optic network and mobile network to ensure capital outlays, and the cost of services to the comprehensive coverage that should power the population. Furthermore, the high tariff and non- acceleration of knowledge and science driven tariff barriers including high taxation rates have economic development in Malawi. led to lack of serious investment and low growth in ICT. The vision of the MCP government is 5.6 URBAN DEVELOPMENT to develop a vibrant, competitive and efficient AND PLANNING ICT industry. More specifically, the MCP led government will: Urban development and urban planning is equally in a state of flux. The MCP’s diagnosis reveals that this is the case because of rampant • Create an enabling environment for the corruption and fraud and weak enforcement of growth of ICT and telecommunication as a by-laws. This has been reinforced by lack of key strategic sub-sector of the economy. government’s commitment to provide low-cost housing to citizens leading to homelessness • Reduce the cost of ICT services, through and mushrooming of informal settlements. among other things, securing access to the The lack of decent housing for public servants new submarine infrastructure along the East and security personnel has led to these critical African coast and review the taxation regime personnel to live in squalor. The challenges of the industry. facing urban development and planning include • Promoting effective competition in the poor and uncoordinated urban physical planning, industry by allowing new entrants as a development and monitoring, encroachment of strategy to boost coverage and lower the cost land, increasing existence of strategic idle and of services. undeveloped land and use of residential and commercial land for agricultural purposes in • Extend broadband internet connection to all cities. The burgeoning urban population coupled urban and rural centres through extension with grossly inadequate provision of low-cost of fibre optic cable network to these areas to housing has led to mushrooming of informal enhance access. settlements, which have no access to basic services such as electricity, water, sewer systems • Remove all tariff and non-tariff barriers on and roads. The vision of the MCP is to develop internet facilities (including laptops and cities and towns that will serve as focal points computers, cables, modems, routers etc.) for economic activities, and engines of economic in order to reduce the price of broadband growth as centres of excellence for education, internet. health care, culture, technological innovation, entrepreneurship, social services, government • Connect all government offices and public administration and communications with the facilities such as universities, colleges, world. The goal of the MCP-led government secondary schools, hospitals, security will be to ensure systematic and coordinated installations to broadband internet. urban development culminating in cities and towns that are able to manage urban growth The MCP believes that ICT and the associated and development, including preparedness to increase in internet connectivity is a productivity respond to disasters. To achieve this goal, the enhancing development. The MCP will therefore

MCP MANIFESTO 55 2019-2024 MCP led government will: • Provision of decent housing to all personnel serving in the military, police, immigration and • Investigate and prosecute those involved in other emergency services. illegal allocation of land as well as encroachers on land set aside for urban development. • Establish modern bus terminals in the four major cities across the country and introduce • Repossess and redistribute land that remains city lines to address transportation problems idle and undeveloped beyond the specified in urban areas. development period. The overarching commitment of the MCP is to • Enforce laws that ban agricultural activities on ensure that urban development and planning is land reserved for residential and commercial effectively managed so that potential economic purposes. and social development benefits arising from • Ensure more coordinated planning and urbanization are optimized. The MCP’s ultimate development of urban areas to ensure all goals is to develop cities and towns that create developments meet set minimum standards. and maintain diverse, dynamic neighbourhoods and can make great places that in turn draw in • Provide low cost housing in all urban areas companies and investment, creating massive to enhance access to affordable housing opportunities for jobs, employment and livelihood. especially among public sector employees.

MCP MANIFESTO 56 2019-2024 6. HOMELAND SECURITY AND FOREIGN POLICY

he MCP takes protecting territorial integrity violence, and disturbance of peace and rapid and running a strategic and dynamic foreign enforcement of penalties imposed under criminal Tpolicy as the most fundamental role of a law. Key focal areas will include Immigration sovereign capable democratic developmental Services; National Security; National Defence; state. The MCP regards the provision of and Correctional Services. The vision of the MCP homeland security and running a strategic and in as far as homeland security is concerned is to dynamic foreign policy as two different sides ensure that the country’s borders are secure with of the same coin. Homeland security and only acceptable immigration, internal security of strategic and dynamic foreign policy thrives in Malawians and their property is maintained at an environment of law and order, which is widely all times and incidents of crime are reduced as regarded as the bastion of modern civilization. much as possible. The concern of the MCP is that our collective value system has been so compromised that 6.1.1 Immigration Services it threatens public safety, negatively impacts governance and weakens Malawi’s position in The MCP realizes that economic prosperity the global community of nations. The MCP is greatly lies on the free movement of goods and therefore committed to reversing this unfortunate people but if these flows are not monitored and trend to ensure homeland security and foreign controlled the result can be smuggling, trafficking policy regimes that identify opportunities to and illegal immigration; and organized crime adapt and respond to increasingly dynamic and and terrorism. The commitment of the MCP unpredictable political, economic and social is to establish effective border management processes both at the national, regional and systems and processes, customs and border global levels. control agencies, immigration services and law enforcement. The MCP believes that it is possible 6.1 DYNAMIC HOMELAND to combine resilient security with a modern SECURITY and effective approach to border management that facilitates trade and meaningful regional Drawing from its 31 year experience, the MCP integration. To secure the country’s borders, the will adopt a pragmatic approach to dealing with MCP led government will: homeland security issues to ensure that that Malawians live in a safe, peaceful and secure • Strengthen border posts in all the border environment. Such an environment is a critical areas to stamp out illegal immigration and prerequisite for any meaningful and sustainable drug trafficking and smuggling. political, economic and social development. • Ensure that all foreign nationals are duly The MCP is concerned with the apparent documented through issuance of work development of an insidious and pervasive permits, business permits, and asylum culture of lawlessness, which is probably the documents, among others and deport illegal single greatest threat to our development. The immigrants. MCP’s homeland security regime will prioritize the maintenance of law and order, which is • Establish National Registration Bureau state of society where vast majority of the (NRB) offices in all District Commissioners’ population respects the rule of law and where offices and One-Stop Postal Services to offer the law enforcement agencies observe laws services such as National ID applications and that limit their power. Managing law and order renewals, birth and death registrations. implies swiftly dealing with occurrences of theft,

MCP MANIFESTO 57 2019-2024 • Ensure that all entry visas into Malawi will be through mass education in secondary processed on-line and issued prior to travel schools, universities and through the media or at the port of entry into Malawi and the cost and partnering NGOs. of visas to increase the level of tourist visitors into the country. • Delink the Prosecuting Authority from the MPS by establishing an independent prosecuting • Provide necessary conditions to facilitate free authority whose members will be recruited movement of people and goods in-country by from the MPS. removing all fixed roadblocks in-country and instead promote regular police patrols on • Modernise all police stations across the the highways, on the streets, in residential country through improved infrastructure and neighbourhoods and commercial areas. provision of equipment and decent housing for all Police Officers. 6.1.2 National Security • Establish a new Police Academy in Lilongwe as a strategy to increase the number of police National security is the realm of the Malawi personnel with advanced skills and techniques Police Service (MPS). The MPS plays a critical in crime detection and investigation. role in the country’s law enforcement system. Police Officers respond to emergency calls, • Establish a Cyber Crime Prevention Unit to patrol the community, monitor criminal activity, deal with new threats from the cyber space make arrests, investigate crimes, and testify in as a strategy of maintaining the integrity of court. The MCP has noted with concern that the the critical infrastructure installations. challenges that the MPS has to deal with are getting more complex. There is, for example, a • Implement a police wide computer training growing problem of organized crime manifested programme and endeavour to promote the through the sale and abuse of prohibited drugs. use of ICT in the fight against crime in the The absence of sophisticated drug detection office and during field work for police officers equipment such as scanners and sniffer dogs at since ICT is now at the heart of proper records transit points make fighting this genre of crime management and detection of criminals in a very difficult. Levels of white collar crimes are also match and trace of information. worsening resulting in massive financial losses. This is the case because the Fiscal Police Unit • Make the MPS an integral part of a of the MPS is not adequately capacitated. The government wide information exchange MCP government will be committed to creating project that will include the Directorate of an MPS that is fit for purpose and able to prevail Road Traffic, Malawi Revenue Authority, overall internal security challenges. The MCP Immigration Services, National Registration led government will do the following in order to Bureau, Anti-Corruption Bureau, National achieve this particular goal. Prosecution Authority and others who rely on quick exchange of information to combat • Ensure that the MPS is once again given the crime. necessary financial resources to redevelop kennels for rearing and training of sniffer dogs 6.1.3 National Defence as well as provide all major transit points with modern scanners and the sniffer dogs. National defence is the responsibility of the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) and the MCP realizes that • Prioritize the fight against the drug trafficking

MCP MANIFESTO 58 2019-2024 strong national defence is very important to the and increase the current number of military security and protection of Malawians. As such, personnel by 30% to enhance its capacity the MCP will do whatever it takes to ensure that and readiness for combat. our military has the capability to defend us from any external aggression at all times. The security • Provide adequate training within and outside and safety of the Malawian people will be the the country and ensure that promotions number one priority of the MCP led government. are awarded to the deserving personnel The vision of the MCP-led government therefore on the basis of merit and not any other is to maintain a defence force that is capable of considerations. diligently defending the country from external • Engage MDF in civil duties during peace time threats, and in times of peace, contribute towards such as mechanised commercial farming national development while ensuring harmonious in all four political regions of the country; military and civil relations. More specifically MCP commercial engineering and construction government will: activities such as commercial vehicle repairs; • Modernize the MDF through the use of state roads, bridges, rail, boat and buildings of art equipment for situational awareness, construction, among others; humanitarian command and control by capacitating it with emergency activities during disasters; bulk very secure and modern digital informational transportation services; and commercial resources that include computers, drones health care services to the public. and basic field communication equipment. • Ensure that MDF Naval Base continuously • Establish a cadre of well trained and computer monitors and counter any border related savvy personnel to conduct internal training claims over Malawi’s territory and lakes and and repair as an integral part of the efforts to protect citizens against harassment as they modernize the army. carry out legal economic activities in Malawi and on any of our lakes. • Establish an MDF Cyber Security Academy and make it possible for the MDF to take • Ensure that the MDF is adequately trained advantage of technological developments and combat ready at all times with relevant in the military, particularly with regard to support to proactively take part in international enhanced surveillance and situational peacekeeping operations in Africa and awareness in combat, information processing beyond through the UN, AU, SADC and other and communication. bodies.

• Improve the capacity of the MDF in various 6.1.4 Prisons and Correctional aspects by establishing a capable and fully Services equipped Air Force battalion in Lilongwe; a capable and fully equipped naval base in Prisons are an integral part of the criminal justice Nkhata Bay; a capable and fully equipped system. As an integral part of the criminal justice cyber security academy in Blantyre; and a system, the MCP understands that a prison capable and fully equipped Special Forces sentence serves two purposes. First, it is a Unit in Zomba. form of retribution because there is a belief that people who commit crimes should pay back for • Improve the infrastructure and equipment their commissions or omissions. Second, it is a in all existing MDF units across the country deterrent since prison is unpleasant people will be reluctant to commit crimes for fear of going to

MCP MANIFESTO 59 2019-2024 prison. The vision of the MCP is to run prisons 6.2 FOREIGN POLICY AND and correctional services that strike a strategic INTERNATIONAL balance between prisons serving as a safeguard RELATIONS designed to keep dangerous people locked away from society and prisons as a place where Malawi has generally implemented a strategic criminals can be rehabilitated setting them up and dynamic foreign policy and co-existed for a new life with improved education, job and peacefully with its neighbours and the entire social skills and a new outlook. More specifically, global community of nations at large. Malawi’s the MCP led government will to the following to foreign policy and international relations have create such prisons and correctional services: thrived within the framework of the doctrine of contact and dialogue popularized by the founding • Improve in partnership with non-governmental President of the Republic, His Excellency organizations (NGOs) the food situation in Ngwazi Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda. Recent prisons by making sure that prison farms are developments, especially in relations to the Lake put to good use and prisons with limited space Malawi border dispute with Tanzania, however, engage in intensive farming techniques that raise serious question marks in the minds of do not require extensive space. Malawians about the current government’s • Introduce artisanal and other economic resolve to maintain the country’s territorial services across all prisons which will be used integrity. The next MCP government will not to impart skills in preparation for life after abandon the doctrine of contact and dialogue as serving time. the linchpin of the country’s foreign policy and international relations regime but will ensure that • Expand and intensify artisanal and other this does not lead to any neighbours unilaterally economic services so as to generate earnings changing Malawi’s borders and threatening which will be used to supplement the funds its sovereign territory or, indeed, the conduct from the national budget allocation. of economic activities therein. Building on our • Set up a special Correctional Investment Fund achievements in the past in using the doctrine of (CIF) that will guide and regulate the usage contact and dialogue, the MCP government will of funds generated from these artisanal and run a strategic and dynamic foreign policy and economic activities and it will also be used international relations regime whose ultimate to offer loans to ex-prisoners who finish their goal will be to serve Malawian interests, security- sentence as they embark on a new life after wise and economically, and safeguard Malawi’s prison. sovereignty and independence. This foreign policy and international relations regime will • Decongest the prisons by creating a protect Malawi’s territorial integrity and protect programme where minor or petty crimes will the interests of its citizens both within and not attract custodial sentence but instead outside the country. More specifically, the next encourage community service where those MCP government will do the following: convicted perform paid duties in private and public entities with the funds going into the • Prioritize resolving the 8-year old Lake CIF. Malawi border dispute once and for all within the framework of the doctrine of contact and dialogue seeking a win-win solution and accepting nothing less, and in the absence of this resolution defend Malawi’s territorial

MCP MANIFESTO 60 2019-2024 integrity to the benefit of Malawians. and market opportunities.

• Sustain the country’s diplomatic relations • Rationalize the country’s membership to with the neighbouring countries, strategic regional trading blocs such as COMESA global economic powers as well as the and SADC in view of the overwrapping critical bilateral and multilateral institutions to membership and the similarity of programmes enhance Malawi’s position as a regional and implemented by the blocs. global actor. • Appoint and maintain a professional • Conduct the cost–benefit analysis of some diplomatic service which will serve Malawi’s missions to determine whether they need to best interests economically and politically be maintained or relocated to other viable equipped with strategic skills necessary destinations so as to maximize benefits from to enhance Malawi’s benefits in the global these investments. community of nations.

• Establish effective and well-staffed economic • Ensure a transparent appointment process affairs offices in all diplomatic missions to for people to go into diplomatic service and enhance lobbying capacity for investment define what agenda they would serve to

MCP MANIFESTO 61 2019-2024 directly benefit citizens of the country. Malawian interests. The commitment of the MCP to Malawians is that it will never compromise • Ensure equitable distribution of appointments on the integrity of Malawi borders as they have to diplomatic missions, ensuring a gender existed from independence and the security of balance and inclusivity of all social groups its citizens. The overarching drive of the MCP in such as youths, women, people living with running a strategic and dynamic foreign policy disability, albinism etc. and international relations regime will be to utilize its diplomatic presence in other countries and • Establish a School of Diplomacy where people organizations in pursuit of social and economic will train as career diplomats and ensure that development through investment, trade and all appointees to foreign missions are trained tourism promotion and regional economic before being posted to their respective duty integration. In other words, the MCP will accord stations. priority to development diplomacy which benefits the social economic development needs of the The MCP government will strongly advocate for country while navigating various circumstances peaceful coexistence and resolution of conflicts with other nations. through the policy of contact and dialogue while at the same time being resolute in defending

MCP MANIFESTO 62 2019-2024 7. OUR APPEAL AND PROMISE

ased on the transformative vision outlined and at times frustrating, but at the same time, we in this Manifesto, we, as MCP, appeal to must stand firm and united because we cannot go Ball Malawians to vote us into government wrong with a capable democratic developmental by electing Dr. Lazarus Chakwera as Malawi’s state under a visionary, competent, patriotic, 6th President. This Manifesto is a product of a and pragmatic leadership with a track record of comprehensive diagnosis, in line with Agendas unimpeachable integrity. We must not give in 2030 and 2063 and the Malawi Growth and to despair, for that makes us vulnerable to the Development Strategy, that the MCP has enticements of the forces currently vested in undertaken to identify the five key strategic areas and electioneering for the continuation of the that will turnaround the fortunes of this country status quo. For the sake of Malawi, we must in within the shortest time possible. It is a framework this election take a stand against those that are and platform that addresses the pressing benefiting from the broken systems that have priorities in our local context, inspiring the MCP enabled them to create and exploit the current government to promote the spirit of partnership mess. Though they will do anything within their between and among domestic constituencies and power to frustrate the realization of the changes development partners in making the right choices and reforms MCP wants to make in order for to sustainably improve the overall quality of life for Malawi to reach her full potential as a nation, ourselves and future generations. We, therefore, we must not be intimidated by their threats and have every confidence that when we implement boastful claims, nor must we be seduced by their the proposed reforms in these five areas, they electoral tactics of giving us handouts bought will trigger fundamental structural transformation with our own taxes. and inclusive sustainable development. The leadership of MCP under Dr. Lazarus We believe that a capable democratic Chakwera is ready and steady, more than equal developmental state is the only vehicle through to the task. In fact, we have always been ready. which the country can turn the corner. By We are very well equipped to drive Malawi’s long creating and running it, the incoming MCP overdue transformation within the framework government will have initiated reforms that will of a capable democratic developmental state. revolutionize the way we do things in this country The time has come for us to raise difficult yet for generations to come. Of course, we realize fundamental questions that have a bearing on that implementing the changes we are seeking how we move forward to realize our dream for to preside over to make Malawi a better place for a progressive and prosperous nation that works all of us is no easy task. It will require all of us for all of us. We can no longer afford to shy away to be determined, dedicated and disciplined to from asking, let alone confronting, these difficult make sacrifices at the individual, community and questions because the problems we face as a institutional level for the greater common good. nation will not go away by our prayers, wishes, and votes alone; they require the hard work Let us Build A New Malawi. It will not be delivered of overhauling the system to replace it with a to us on a silver platter, nor will it be built by foreign functioning and a capable state, and no party is powers. We ourselves as Malawians must work as ready or as organized as the MCP to lead the for it, pray for it, fight for it, and vote for it. This way after the May 21, 2019 elections. calls for all of us to get out of our comfort zones. The era of entertaining illusions and fantasies is To get through the changes we are proposing over. We must accept that creating, implementing will require a great deal of radical thinking and and sustaining the changes that will bring about bold action. Most of the issues that we shall the Malawi we desire will be tough, challenging be dealing with do not simply require reform or

MCP MANIFESTO 63 2019-2024 tinkering with them on the margins; they require a new Malawi we can all be proud of. total rethinking, redesigning and rebuilding of our governance model. The current model is too We will assemble a team of the best and brightest broken and open to abuse to be the basis for from the public sector, private sector and civil the kind of transformation we need. We must society that will help guide these fundamental build a new Malawi. Though our efforts have transformation processes so that their positive already started generating resistance, which is impact can be felt and appreciated in the shortest inevitable with any radical change process, we time possible. In fact, these experts are already must refuse to postpone our national destiny for standing by to get straight to work as soon as the sake of a few bellies. The MCP is ready for your vote for MCP is cast. In the same way, this challenge, for we are driven neither by the Malawians, we call on each of you to be prepared greed demonstrated by some nor the frustrations to make sacrifices at the individual, community and vindictiveness animating others. Ours is a and institutional levels to make the Malawi that resolve to build an institutional architecture that we are talking about a reality. Your role as a works for all, with special care being taken to citizen in this process will be indispensable, for ensure that losses at the individual, community it is time the people and the government started and institutional levels are minimized as much working together to Build a New Malawi. as possible and win-win scenarios are created in the interest of the broader public good. We will Vote Wisely, Vote MCP not give up; we will fight all the way until we build

MCP MANIFESTO 64 2019-2024

The Secretary General Malawi Congress Party (MCP) National Headquarters City Centre Private Bag 388 Lilongwe 3, Malawi