By Vincent Gunde
The Citizens for Justice and Equity, has called on President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika to rescind and reverse the appointment of Mr. Henry Mathanga as Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) responsible for Economic Affairs.
The Citizens for Justice has claimed that Mr. Mathanga is a former employ of the Reserve Bank of Malawi who previously held senior positions including Executive Director and Deputy Governor saying during his tenure, he was implicated in serious regulatory and corporate misconduct including the unlawful extension of loans to private entities such as Mulli Brothers Limited, Web Commercials, FF Trading, Rock Ba Rock, and others.
The organization said criminal proceedings were initiated against Mr. Mathanga before the Financial Crimes Division of the High Court of Malawi saying these proceedings are still pending and have neither been withdrawn nor concluded in his favor.
Writing in a statement dated 10th January, 2026 signed by its Executive Director Agape Khombe, the Citizens for Justice said Mr. Mathanga was also implicated in the IMF misreporting scandal, the IMF called on the Government of Malawi to take decisive action against those responsible for the misreporting, a call the government publicly acknowledged.
“It is therefore deeply troubling and diplomatically counter-productive that an individual facing multiple unresolved criminal cases is appointed to a position that requires direct engagement with the IMF during sensitive negotiations,” reads the statement in part.
Political analyst Dr. Rick Dzida, said the President appoints the Deputy Governors of the Reserve Bank of Malawi in accordance with the RBM Act. Number 3 of 2019 saying Section 16(1) and 16(2) which stipulate that the President has the authority to make the appointments.
Dzida said it should be emphasized that previous editions of this section mentioned a maximum of three Deputy Governors saying while the president makes initial appointment, the law requires that the appointments are subject to confirmation by the Public Appointments Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly.
But, cables have revealed that Mathanga resigned as Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi citing constructive dismissal after the Central Bank forced him to go on special leave saying 2 months later, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) initiated fresh charges based on the same facts.
The Cables say in April, 2024 the High Court of Malawi (Financial Crimes Division) discharged Mathanga and former Governor Dr. Dalitso Kabambe from one count of Abuse of Office due to insufficient evidence from the State saying the court maintained a second charge of fraud by False Pretense, but there was no conviction.
“Only conviction can stop the appointment of Mr. Mathanga as Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) Deputy Governor,” said Dzida.
A concerned citizen of Malawi Mrs. Elizabeth Kaliza Banda has advised the Citizen for Justice and Equity not to blame President Professor Mutharika for appointing Mr. Matganga as Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi but the MCP led government of President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera.
Kaliza Banda has claimed that the MCP and President Chakwera had six good years in government of prosecuting senior DPP members of corruption related offences including Mr. Mathanga but they failed to do that for no tangible evidence.
