….bizzare, outside budget
Barely a day after we revealed that President Lazarus Chakwera is sitting on a report to improve the Civil Service, Government has issued a bizzare circular introducing “special allowances” for all grades Civil service.
There is nor explanation as to how and when will the Civil Servants recieve special allowances, indicating a hurried job to cover the President who is still in the United States after all other leaders who attended the United General Assembly have returned to their respective homes.
Secretary for Human Resources Blessings Chilabade in a circular dated today 25th September, 2023 informs the public workers that they will be receiving special allowances.
“I am pleased to inform you that as part of on going efforts to improve the welfare of Civil Servants, Government has introduced a Special Allowance for officers in Grades C to R with effect from 1st October 2023,” Chilabade writes without explaining if these allowances will be paid monthly or weekly or annually.
He says the approved rates are K40,000 for grades C to 1, K30,000 for grades J-N and K20,000 for grades O to R.
Government budget was already passed and a budget review meeting of Parliament is scheduled to start this week.
Chilima was tasked by Chakwera to review Civil Service conditions and propose changes, but the President decided to hide it the report from Malawians.
Parts of the leaked report shows Chilima recommended that Civil Servant be paid above basic need basket salaries, abolishment of expensive vehicles that could save K16 billion annually on fuel and maintainance and promotion and bonuses for performing Civil Servants.
Chakwera hid the bonus element which would have seen departments that deliver and uses their allocation efficiently share their savings.
The President also is hiding proposals to increase salaries for all Civil Servants to match private sector and curb allowances one can recieve to 10 days per month.
The report notes that Civil Servants uses allowances to supplement their low salaries and it was proper to increase salaries and save on inflated allowances.
In 2019/2020 budget over K33 billion was claimed as allowances which is more than budget for several Ministries combined.
It is known how the broke administration which has now borrowed a record K9.4 trillion intends to finance the new “special allowances.”
