A political analyst says Malawians should not expect a lot from the newly appointed cabinet ministers since they are only there to praise the president.
On Wednesday, 19th June, Malawi president, Peter Mutharika appointed a 24 member cabinet following his reelection in the May 21 elections.
Commenting on the new cabinet, Chancellor College political science scholar Ernest Thindwa said Malawians should not expect anything from these ministers claiming they have been appointed to serve the president and not Malawians.
Thindwa said Mutharika has appointed the cabinet for his survival contrary to his earlier commitment to appoint a team of technocrats regardless of one’s political affiliation.
The political scholar further said Mutharika has chosen these ministers based on who is so faithful to support him a thing which he said will only see the newly appointed ministers doing the will of the president and not of the public.
“I don’t think that the team that has been assembled has the competence and the will, let alone the managerial action comprise the agenda. It is a way of political survival and it is not a cabinet that reflect nation building.
“It’s not a cabinet that is geared to delivering developmental agenda. It’s more about political survival meaning to say that you take people who have been loyal to you to be in cabinet,” said Thindwa.
He further added that as a father of the nation, President Mutharika is supposed to build and unite this nation by avoiding such questionable decisions.
Mutharika has appointed 15 members of his cabinet from the Southern Region of Malawi, 4 members from Malawi’s central region and 4 members from Northern Region a development which Thindwa said doesn’t matter claiming that what matters is the competence of the person.
Are you sure Mr. Thindwa, that as President, you can venture into the business of appointing those who are your adversaries in your cabinet? Then what kind of cabinet would that be? Please know that a cabinet in which there is in-fighting does not deliver the very things the electorates might expect.
After all, the cabinet is full of professionals, like the new Education Minister, is a seasoned educationist. what else do you want Mr. Thindwa?