Copyright nyasatimes
Just three days after being sworn in as Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ben Phiri has wasted no time proving he means business, diving straight into meetings with major global development partners — the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) — to fast-track service delivery in Malawi’s local councils. In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Phiri described Tuesday as “a busy yet fulfilling day,” outlining a series of engagements that signal a no-nonsense approach to local governance and development coordination. He began his day with a strategic management meeting focused on crafting a robust working plan for effective implementation of the ministry’s mandate. This, he said, is part of a larger effort to ensure councils deliver tangible results and taxpayers see value for money. Later in the day, Phiri met delegations from IFAD and the World Bank — both critical financiers of local government projects — where he pushed for efficiency, accountability, and innovation. During talks with IFAD, the delegation expressed concern over the low absorption rate of the Trade Project funds — with only €40 million of the €125 million disbursed over the last five years. They cited delays in procurement, decentralization bottlenecks, and coordination weaknesses as key barriers. Phiri, in response, assured IFAD of sweeping reforms to unblock bureaucratic delays and ensure councils deliver faster and more effectively. In his separate meeting with the World Bank, Phiri secured renewed commitment from the Bank — $150 million towards the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) II Project, a major boost for Malawi’s decentralization and service delivery reforms. But it was Phiri’s push for technology-driven transparency that caught attention. He revealed that he has asked the World Bank for technical and financial support to create a digital dashboard to track Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects in real time. “The dashboard will be part of digital solutions we intend to introduce to monitor performance of CDF projects,” Phiri said. Observers say Phiri’s early steps in office send a clear message — the era of lethargy and mismanagement in local governance is over. His proactive engagement with development partners, coupled with a focus on transparency and accountability, positions him as a minister on a mission to reform local government and deliver results where it matters most — at community level. As one senior official at the Ministry put it: “Dr. Phiri is not here to warm the chair. He is here to work.” With his sleeves rolled up and focus fixed on performance, Ben Phiri seems determined to prove that leadership, when matched with vision and urgency, can make local government work for Malawians.
