The Malawi President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, has finally released his newly reshuffled Cabinet. The President has announced his new ministerial lineup last night, on 31st January 2023, through the Secretary to the President and Cabinet (SPC) Dr. Colleen Zamba.
In the new setting, the President has removed ministerial portfolios from himself and the Vice President. In consequence, the President is no longer Minister of Defense and the Vice President is no longer Minister of Public Sector Reforms.
However, by the decree of the Constitution of the Republic, the President still remains Commander in-Chief of the Arms Forces by virtue of being Head of State and Government.
The new Cabinet of Ministers has been reduced in size by 13% while gender balance has been maintained at a record 40/60 per cent female/male. The two Secretary Generals, Eisenhower Mkaka from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Patricia Kaliati from the UTM have both been dropped.
Another big highlight in Chakwera’s new Cabinet is the inclusion of a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member of Parliament as Deputy Minister of Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture with the MCP legislator, Richard Chimwendo Banda, as his senior.
New faces in the Cabinet include Ken Zikhale Ng’oma, Uchizi Mkandawire and Moses Kunkuyu who have been appointed as Minister of Homeland Security; Minister of Youth and Sports; and Minister of Information respectively while most of the retained ministers have been rotated.
Other Ministers that have been dropped from the new Cabinet include Timothy Mtambo who was, prior to the reshuffle, the Minister of National Unity and Civic Education; Alber Mbawala; Mark Katsonga Phiri; and Blessings Chinsinga who were ministers of Mining; Trade and Industry; and Local Government respectively.
Analysts have uploaded Chakwera’s new Cabinet as responsive and daring for dropping big shots.
