All that glisters is not gold: new public management and corruption in Malawi's local governance

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of the new public management (NPM) on corruption at the Malawian local government level. The study was based on interviews conducted in six local government assemblies in Malawi. Qualitative data were collected mainly through in-depth personal interviews with Assembly managers and councillors. The study also relied on insights gained from a review of various government literatures. It found that NPM reforms in Malawi have led to increased levels of corruption. It is feared that this situation could have massive negative impacts on economic development. To address these problems, the paper recommends the implementation of the public governance model, since this has built-in mechanisms that could considerably mitigate the corruption that has resulted from the introduction of NPM.

Keywords:

• New public management
• corruption
• public governance
• local government
• Malawi

Notes

¹As the study was being concluded, Assemblies were dissolved, awaiting elections whose date had not yet been determined at the time of writing.