By Jones Gadama
Lilongwe City Council grounds became a rallying point for sanitation and service delivery on 17th June 2026 as Hon. Dr. Ben Phiri, Minister of Local Government, officially launched Presidential Executive Order No. 2, signaling that government talk on waste management has ended and action has begun.
Addressing dignitaries that included Hon. Madalitso Baloyi Minister of Health and Sanitation, Principal Secretary Mr. Dingiswayo Jere, Lilongwe City Mayor Councilor Peter Alex Banda, Chief Executive Officer Mr.Clement Stambuli, and chairpersons of the Lilongwe Vendors Association, Dr. Phiri framed the event not as ceremony but as a challenge to every Malawian.
“I take this function as a challenge which Lilongwe City Council is taking to implement the Executive Order Number 2 issued by His Excellency the President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika,” he said, making clear that the Order is now part of the law and must be treated with the seriousness it deserves.
Dr. Phiri, widely regarded as a man of action, wasted no time moving from words to directives.
He reminded the gathering that the Presidential Executive Order was issued pursuant to the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi which recognizes the need to safeguard public health and protect the right to life by tackling sanitation challenges that fuel waterborne diseases.
The Order directs the provision and maintenance of waste disposal facilities in public places, schools, workplaces, recreation facilities and venues for public gathering.
It is this hands-on approach that has earned him praise across government circles. Under Malawi Public Health legislation, he stressed, waste management is a shared duty.
The public is legally responsible for proper waste storage, disposal and hygiene, and indiscriminate dumping is an offense under both the Public Health Act and Executive Order No. 2 of 2026.
“This therefore is not just simply a talk show but legal direction and regulation. We therefore need to implement this, all of us, for the benefit of us all,” he declared, drawing applause for his firm but humble tone.
The minister’s empathy for ordinary citizens came through as he reflected on decades of neglect.
“For so long the general public have considered sanitation issues not a priority, and little attention without attached responsibility was given to it,” he said, noting how carelessly stakeholders and citizens have treated waste, either through action or inaction.
He called the launch a critical milestone because it touches on Malawi 2063’s key enabler of mindset change.
That mindset shift, he argued, cannot be achieved by government alone.
“As mentioned by His Worship, the Mayor, we need to join hands as all stakeholders, ranging from government, private sector, business community and the general public,” he urged.
True to his reputation as a hard worker, Dr. Phiri revealed that his ministry has already drafted guidelines to guide implementation and expects Lilongwe City Council to coordinate and oversee swift execution by all relevant stakeholders within the city jurisdiction.
To schools and workplaces he issued a direct instruction: ensure provision and maintenance of waste disposal facilities within the surroundings of their premises. To stakeholders in sanitation he demanded priority for sanitation facilities in programs and projects, plus more advocacy to the public.
To the business community he said responsibility must be taken to provide waste receptacles and working toilets with running water in business premises.
In a move that underscored his servant-hearted leadership, Dr. Phiri paused the sanitation agenda to recognize humanitarian work.
Speaking on a very different note, Dr. Ben Phiri paused his sanitation message to address the pain of Malawians trapped in South Africa by xenophobic attacks.
With genuine concern in his voice, he told the rally that he felt deep sorrow for the sons and daughters of Malawi facing that ordeal, and asked God to give them hope and courage until they are safely home.
The Minister then turned to thank Prophet Shepherd Bushiri for a noble act of compassion, praising him for sending ten buses to South Africa to ferry stranded Malawians back home.
Dr. Phiri said Bushiri had set a very good example and called on other Malawians, companies, and especially religious institutions to follow suit in supporting the repatriation effort.
“I stand here today to thank Prophet Shepherd Bushiri for his kindness in helping government bring back our brothers and sisters stranded in South Africa. He has set a very good gesture, and I call on all Malawians, our banks, companies, and religious institutions to follow his example.This task is too important to be left to government alone. If we all come together and use our resources, we can bring our people home quickly. The future of Malawi depends on the decisions we make as one nation,” Said Phiri.
He closed with a patriotic charge: “Malawi’s future depends on Malawians’ decisions.” With that, he declared Executive Order No. 2 officially launched in Lilongwe and instructed the City Council to monitor implementation once every month, calling on all key stakeholders to support the program.
“Thank you all,” he said, in the modest style that has made him popular among staff and citizens alike.
In a separate interview, a senior government official described Dr. Phiri as a minister who means business.
“Malawi minus politics has never had a local government minister like Ben Phiri. He is exceptional in his own works of serving Malawi. He is humble, works tirelessly, and truly serves the nation through his ministry,” the official said, full of praise for the minister’s work ethic.
Another minister who opted for anonymity echoed the sentiment: “I admire Ben Phiri. He is cool but a hard working minister. He doesn’t shout, he delivers.”
The vision behind the launch, Dr. Phiri repeatedly noted, belongs to President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, whose commitment to sanitation was earlier demonstrated through Global Fund support of waste collection vehicles for city councils witnessed at Bingu International Conference Centre.
“Malawi is blessed to have ministers like Ben Phiri and visionary leadership from President Peter Mutharika,” said one council official at the event.
As Lilongwe moves to enforce waste management law street by street, Dr. Phiri’s message was clear: sanitation is not charity, it is duty, and his watch, duty will be done.
