On 27 June 2024, the Secretary for Human Resource Management and Development, Blessings Chilabade, released a circular for new allowances which will start its implementation on 1 July 2024.
The circular indicated that the government approved an allowance increment for civil servants in all categories, such as meal allowances, subsistence allowances for civil servants traveling within Malawi on duty, and subsistence allowances for officers traveling outside Malawi on duty.
In her reaction to the development, the General Secretary for Civil Servants Trade Union, Titha Gomani, said the union received the news with happiness, saying it has shown that the government has now started responding to their requests.
“We have seen that the government has a listening ear since civil servants have been complaining about challenges they face in the work of devaluation of the Malawi Kwacha, which resulted in an increase in the price of basic needs,” she said.
Gomani said the increase in allowances for both local and international travel will improve their living standards as they will be able to find good accommodation, including food.
She further said the union is expecting a lot from the government to improve the welfare of its members who are contributing to national development.
Gomani also assured union members that everyone is entitled to receive the revised allowances as long as they are on duty, which requires such allowances.
Social media users have since advised managers to make sure that there is no sidelining and favoring of officers on the new allowance issue.
The newly approved allowances will be received according to grade. For example, officers on the highest grade will now be receiving K25,000 meal allowance per day, while the lowest will be receiving K10,000 per day.
Subsistence allowance for civil servants traveling within Malawi on duty will now be receiving K120,000 for the highest grade and K30,000 for the lowest grade.
The government also approved an allowance increment for civil servants traveling outside Malawi on duty.
The circular indicated that the revised allowances should be implemented within the 2024/2025 approved budget allocation since the government will not provide additional funds to cater for any increase in expenditure arising from the revision of subsistence allowances.
