By Professor Paul Gadama
The choices that shape a nation
Professor Paul Gadama, a scholar of public policy and development economics, has warned that Malawi’s future will be determined less by its natural resources and more by the quality of leadership and the economic choices made today.
In a wide-ranging essay released this week, Prof. Gadama argues that leadership and economics are “inseparable dimensions of national development.”
“A country may possess abundant mineral resources, fertile land, a youthful population and hardworking citizens,” he writes. “Yet these advantages, by themselves, do not guarantee prosperity. Resources become engines of development only when they are managed responsibly and directed towards productive activity.”
On accountability and competence
Citing American leadership expert John C. Maxwell, Gadama notes that leadership is influence, but stresses it must go further.
“Effective leadership involves the willingness to make difficult decisions, accept responsibility for their consequences and provide clear direction, particularly during periods of uncertainty,” he states.
He cautions against distant leadership and a culture where decisions are made without clear ownership. “When leaders remain distant from the people, legitimate questions arise: Who is making the decisions? On what basis? Who will accept responsibility?”
Quoting former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, Gadama adds: “Power is fundamentally a responsibility. Political authority should provide an opportunity to improve institutions and expand opportunity.”
The cost of weak leadership
The professor identifies the “institutionalisation of incompetence” as one of the gravest consequences of poor leadership.
“When appointments are influenced less by competence and integrity and more by loyalty and political convenience, we end up with a system that cannot deliver,” Gadama says. He notes that modern government requires expertise in economics, finance, engineering, health, agriculture and technology.
He also flags the danger of sycophancy. “A leader who hears only praise may eventually lose contact with reality. Competent leadership welcomes professional expertise and constructive criticism.”
On public funds, Gadama is blunt:
“Corruption is not merely a legal or ethical problem. It is an economic problem. Every kwacha lost is a classroom not built, a health facility not equipped, a road not maintained, or a job not created.”
He further criticizes what he calls “permanent campaign governance,” where leaders prioritize the next election over long-term reforms. “A country cannot develop sustainably if every major decision is viewed through the lens of the next election.”
Economics as choices
Drawing on Adam Smith’s _The Wealth of Nations_, Gadama says economics is fundamentally about choices under scarcity.
“Should greater resources go to education, health, agriculture, infrastructure or industrialization? These are not technical questions alone. They are choices with profound consequences for citizens,” he writes.
He references economists Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson, authors of _Why Nations Fail_, to stress that prosperity depends on strong, inclusive institutions, not on individual personalities.
“Effective leadership creates confidence, encourages investment, and supports entrepreneurship. Poor leadership does the opposite,” Gadama argues.
