Government Clarifies Minister Ben Phiri’s Remarks On Civil Servants’ Duty Stations

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has issued a clarification regarding recent remarks by the Honourable Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Dr. Ben Malunga Phiri, M.P., following what it described as “misleading information” circulating on social media.

In a press release signed by the Secretary for Local Government, Rev. Moses Owen Chimphhepo, the Ministry dismissed reports claiming that Minister Phiri directed all civil servants to work strictly within their districts of origin. The Ministry said such claims were a misrepresentation of the Minister’s actual statement.

“What the Honourable Minister stated, and what is consistently on record during his visits to local authorities, is that civil servants should avoid commuting daily from one district to another and instead reside within their designated duty stations,” the statement reads.

According to the Ministry, this directive aims to enhance efficiency, punctuality, and service delivery to the public. The Ministry expressed concern that long-distance commuting has been affecting performance, leading to late reporting for duty, misuse of local authority resources such as fuel, and absenteeism, particularly on Mondays and Fridays.

“The Ministry has observed that long-distance commuting negatively affects performance, including late reporting for duty and misuse of local authority resources such as fuel,” the statement noted, adding that such behavior undermines effective public service delivery.

The Ministry also appealed to the general public and stakeholders to verify information related to its activities through official channels before publishing or sharing it.

Furthermore, the statement reaffirmed the government’s commitment under His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika to promoting unity among Malawians, warning that misinformation and divisive propaganda will not be tolerated.

“The Government of His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika remains committed to promoting unity among all Malawians and will not tolerate misinformation or divisive propaganda,” it emphasized.

The Ministry concluded by assuring the public that all discussions held with local authorities were officially recorded and are available for reference.