Civil servants can now afford a smile following the decision by the government to increase their salaries in compliance with a directive by President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera.
When he presided over the graduation of new police recruits at Limbe Police Training School in Blantyre on Friday last week, Chakwera instructed the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs to look into the salaries of civil servants to ensure they are consistent with the current cost of living.
And barely five days after the directive, the government has announced adjustments to the salaries effective April 2024.
The upward revision to the salaries is certainly a timely relief for civil servants who have been complaining about the rise in the cost of living, which was triggered by the recent devaluation of the Malawi kwacha against major trading currencies.
And in his circular dated April 15, 2024, Secretary for Human Resource Management and Development, Mr. B.G. Chilabade, has advised the controlling officers to implement the new salaries [for the civil servants] from April 1, 2024.
“These salaries have been approved after thorough consultations with the Civil Servants Trade Union and the Teachers Union of Malawi. Controlling officers are advised that the new salaries should be paid from the provision under Personal Emoluments,” reads the circular in part.
