By Vincent Gunde
Malawians who applied for jobs in Israel are demanding answers from President Arthur Peter Mutharika’s administration over the continued silence surrounding the recruitment programme, which remains uncertain more than a year after the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) returned to government in September 2025.
The applicants say they have been waiting for updates despite completing several recruitment stages, including interviews, medical examinations, police clearance and passport processing, using their personal resources.
Between 2022 and 2023, the programme recruited Malawians through agencies, including Lions and Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) Campus One.
However, the process was later changed to a government-to-government arrangement following allegations of political interference, with claims that party loyalists were being prioritised for the jobs.
More than 1,500 Malawians are expected to work in agriculture-related fields in Israel through the LUANAR Campus One arrangement.
A second cohort of applicants also underwent orientation and interviews before being instructed to return to their respective districts and await further communication.
However, the applicants say they have received no updates, leaving them uncertain about the fate of their applications.
One of the successful candidates, Ajusa Banda from the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Kwitanda in Machinga District, has urged the government to restore recruitment through agencies, arguing that the government-to-government arrangement is vulnerable to favouritism and corruption.
Banda said the programme provided employment opportunities for about 1,500 young people through recruitment agencies, but alleged that political interference disrupted the process after the government took control.
He argued that the programme could have helped Malawi generate much-needed foreign exchange if more young people had secured employment in Israel.
Banda said workers previously earned US$1,500 monthly before deductions, with take-home pay of about US$1,200, excluding overtime.
He added that the initial target of sending 5,000 Malawians to Israel was not achieved because of alleged political interference.
The applicants are also concerned that their medical reports and police clearance certificates may have expired while they wait for government communication.
Banda expressed fears that reprocessing the documents will require additional money, placing further pressure on applicants who have already spent their own resources.
Meanwhile, concerned citizen Elizabeth Kaliza Banda of Area 51 in Lilongwe has urged the DPP-led government to explain what information it received from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) administration regarding the recruitment programme.
She said that if the arrangement collapsed, the government should inform the successful applicants and consider reimbursing the expenses they incurred while processing documents required for travel to Israel.
Kaliza Banda has also called on the government to update the nation on the number of Malawians currently working on Israeli farms, particularly amid the continuing conflict between Israel and Palestine, which has resulted in reported casualties and deaths.
The applicants say they need clear communication from the government on whether the programme will resume, whether their applications remain valid and what arrangements, if any, will be made for those who have spent money preparing to travel.
