By Sylvester Chibwana

An activist turned politician, Timothy Mtambo has challenged the nation saying there is no development agenda that will succeed unless Malawians change their mindset on various issues of national importance such as civic engagement, civic participation, anti-corruption fight, public sector reforms, electoral reforms, governance, climate change, human rights, freedoms, transparency and accountability, and many more.

Speaking as Minister of National Unity to the press in Mzimba where he was guest of honour at a workshop organized by NICE Trust aimed at ending violence and witchcraft accusations against the elderly, Mtambo pleaded with the CSOs to take the matter of mindset change more seriously since government alone cannot fulfill this mandate. He further said the main problem Malawi faces is not that lack of powerful strategic development plans or documents but mostly the lack of civic engagement, implementation, follow through, and accountability. “Democracy without transparency and accountability is a prerequisite for poverty, inequalities, and underdevelopment. Citizens must always demand accountability from both their elected leaders and public servants – that’s democracy,” said Mtambo.

“When the citizenry doesn’t fully follow what Government, CSOs and Development partners are implementing, it is difficult for them to know their role, or to participate fully,” said Mtambo. He also said this is the reason his Ministry has introduced a citizen engagement platform called Pabwalo and Malawi Wanga for the purpose of bringing Government closer to the people and vice versa.

“Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), CSOs, and development partners must be held to account for whatever commitments they have made towards the Mw2063 development blue print, especially on Mindset Change interventions. Without changing the way we have perceived many issues such as corruption, human rights, economic development, democracy and accountability, Malawi will remain poor and underdeveloped. Change can only happen if there is adequate civic engagement,” said Mtambo.

Mtambo has therefore called for serious Mindset Change interventions across the country in order to ascertain success of the various development plans, especially the Mw2063.