Malawi’s newly-elected president has formed a government
with the appointment of a 31-member Cabinet.
Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, who came into power in June, has
also nominated a new police chief, new central bank governor and tax authority
head.
The new president of the south-eastern African country, who
promised 40 percent female representation and no more than 30 ministers, just
narrowly missed his target having appointed 12 female ministers, 38,7 percent
of the Cabinet.
The new Cabinet has, however, angered Malawians who took to
social media to express disappointment with the inclusion of old-timers and
“corrupt” individuals.
“The electorate voted for change, but this new Cabinet
lacks novelty. It is definitely uninspiring, if not disappointing,” said
Danwood Chirwa, a Malawian law professor at the University of Cape Town in
South Africa.
He said the new government should have sent a clear message
to all and sundry that patronage, corruption and looting will end but to no
avail. “Individuals who have looted before should be investigated and
prosecuted, and that new, clean and competent people should lead Malawi,”
Chirwa said.
Gender activist Emma Kaliya described the Cabinet as a raw
deal.
“We are deflated that the president has not lived up to the
promise of 40 percent female representation. What is even more saddening is
that most women are deputy ministers. His appointments are less inspiring,”
Kaliya told The Nation, a local daily.
The Cabinet composition shows that Chakwera’s Malawi
Congress Party dominates with 16 party members — 12 full ministers and four
deputies — representing 51,6 percent, while Vice President Saulosi Chilima’s
United Transformation Movement has six members: four ministers and two
deputies, representing 19,4 percent.
There are also two independent legislators in the new
government. The president had initially named five people to Cabinet positions
within days of his election.
In the new announcement, Chakwera also fired acting police
inspector general Duncan Mwapasa and director general of National Intelligence
Service Kenam Kalilani, replacing them with George Kainja and Dokani Ngwira,
respectively. The new leader has also named Wilson Banda as central bank governor
replacing Dalitso Kabambo. Banda is a centrist in monetary policy circles.
Chakwera (65) defeated former leader Peter Mutharika in
June 23 court-sanctioned presidential election rerun. The soft-spoken
ex-preacher garnered 58,57 percent of the votes against Mutharika’s 39 percent.
— Reuters.
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