When Emmanuel Lubembe, Emerging Public Leaders (EPL) Global Board Chairperson and Emerging Public Leaders of Malawi Board member, visited Lilongwe alongside Betsy Williams, Co-Founder, Chair Emeritus of Emerging Public Leaders, the moment signaled more than a routine institutional engagement. It marked a strategic step in strengthening Africa-led public service leadership and deepening partnerships that sustain the Public Service Fellowship Programme (PSFP) in Malawi.
The visit focused on formally introducing the new Global Board Chair and Co-Founder to key stakeholders, including government leadership, the Emerging Public Leaders’ Malawi Board, Fellows, Mentors, and partners, while reinforcing the Fellowship’s growing contribution to Malawi’s public service ecosystem.
Anchoring an Africa-led vision
At its core, the visit underscored Emerging Public Leaders’ continued evolution as a globally supported but Africa-driven initiative. As Board Chairperson, Emmanuel Lubembe’s engagements highlighted the importance of locally grounded leadership in sustaining reform momentum across government systems.
Betsy Williams’ participation reflected her ongoing commitment to the long-term sustainability of the Emerging Public Leaders network. Widely recognised as a visionary philanthropist, she identified early the need to invest in ethical and capable public servants, well before such investments became widely prioritised.
Together with H.E Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of Liberia and Emerging Public Leaders Co-Founder and Chair Emeritus, this vision helped establish a strong bedrock of exemplary civil servants in Liberia. That legacy continues to shape Emerging Public Leaders’ expanding work across Africa today.
Ahead of the Malawi visit, Emmanuel and Betsy spent time in Nairobi, Kenya, with President Sirleaf and Emerging Public Leaders’ Global Executive Director, aligning on the network’s strategic direction and long-term sustainability priorities.
Setting the tone: High-level government engagement
The visit began with a courtesy call to the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr. Justin Saidi, at the Office of the President and Cabinet. This strategic engagement reaffirmed the strong partnership between Emerging Public Leaders and the Government of Malawi in advancing professional, ethical, and results-oriented public service leadership.
Such high-level dialogue remains central to Emerging Public Leaders’ model, ensuring that the Fellowship stays aligned with national priorities while strengthening institutional performance from within.
Strengthening governance: Engagement with the Emerging Public Leaders Malawi Board
The delegation also held a dedicated session with the Emerging Public Leaders of Malawi Board of Directors. The meeting provided space to reflect on programme progress, governance priorities, and opportunities for scaling impact.
Discussions emphasised sustainability, local ownership, and the continued strengthening of systems that support high-potential public servants to thrive within government.
Leadership in Action: Field Visits to Fellows
A defining highlight of the visit was the field engagement with Fellows embedded in government institutions.
The delegation visited Ndindase Ngulube at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and Development and Elfrida Tembo at the Ministry of Education. These visits followed a structured and intentional format designed to provide a holistic view of the Fellowship experience in practice.
Each ministry engagement included:
- A courtesy call to the Principal Secretary
- A catch-up session with the Mentor and Fellow
These moments offered powerful, firsthand evidence of how Fellows are strengthening systems, supporting reform initiatives, and contributing to improved service delivery across government. For Emerging Public Leaders of Malawi, the visits demonstrated that the Fellowship is not only building individual leadership capacity but also generating institutional value.
Connecting with the Team: Visit to Emerging Public Leaders Malawi Offices
The delegation also spent time at the Emerging Public Leaders of Malawi offices in Lilongwe, Area 47, engaging directly with staff. This interaction created space for reflection, learning, and alignment around the organisation’s growing footprint in Malawi.
During the session, Betsy reflected on Emerging Public Leaders’ founding journey and the importance of sustaining long-term investments in public service leadership, particularly as countries across Africa continue to navigate complex governance and development challenges.
“The idea was very simple: let’s create an opportunity for young people to come into government where they know they will have a desk, a job, and a supervisor, and they can be doing meaningful work.”Â
– Betsy Williams
Listening to the ecosystem: Networking at Ufulu Gardens
The visit concluded with a vibrant networking engagement at Ufulu Gardens, bringing together Fellows, Alumni, Mentors, and key stakeholders.
During the session:
- Cohort 1 Fellows reflected on their Fellowship journeys and professional growth
- Cohort 2 representatives shared early experiences and emerging impact
- Fellows’ mentor, Thomson Mhango provided insights from supporting Fellows across cohorts
Most importantly, the session created space for the delegation to hear directly from programme participants about how the PSFP is influencing their work, mindset, and contribution to public service.Â
“Malawi’s future depends on the energy, creativity, and integrity of its emerging leaders. Fellows, you are the generation that will carry forward the values of service, adaptability, and innovation. As someone who has walked the path of public service, I can assure you that titles do not define leadership, but by the products we create in the lives of our people.”
– Thomson Mhango
These authentic testimonies reinforced a powerful message: the Fellowship is translating leadership potential into measurable public sector value.
As the visit concluded, one thing was clear: the Public Service Fellowship Programme in Malawi continues to gain meaningful traction.
From high-level government engagement to on-the-ground Fellow impact, the visit demonstrated that Emerging Public Leaders’ model is increasingly embedded within Malawi’s public service reform journey.
With Emmanuel formally engaging stakeholders in his role as Global Board Chairperson and with continued stewardship from Betsy as Global Board Member and the wider Emerging Public Leaders network, Emerging Public Leaders of Malawi is well-positioned to deepen its impact in the years ahead.
