President Peter Mutharika has appointed a new 32-member cabinet, roping in former fierce critic Kamlepo Kalua and United Democratic Front leader Atupele Muluzi.
A statement from the Office of the President and Cabinet says the appointments are with effect from 16th March, 2020.
In the new cabinet, Mutharika has appointed Muluzi as Minister of Energy while Kalua has been chosen as Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development.
Other new faces in the cabinet are Henry Chimunthu Banda, Minister of Natural Resources and Mining; Mary Clara Makungwa, Minister of Population Planning and Social Welfare; and Honourable Lilian Patel, Minister of Labour, Skills and Innovation.
Deputy ministers who were not in the previous cabinet include Kenneth Ndovie, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade; Ismail Rizzq Mkumba, Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Technology; and Welani Chilenga, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Mining.
In other changes, Mutharika has moved Democratic Progressive Party Vice President Kondwani Nankhumwa to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while former Foreign Affairs Minister Francis Kasaila has been moved to the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Malawi leader has also promoted DPP Regional Governor for the South Charles Mchacha who was Deputy Minister of Homeland Security and has been appointed Minister of Irrigation and Water Development.
Members of the previous cabinet who have been left out are Martha Lunji who was Minister of Labour, Bintony Kutsaira who was Minister of Energy and Mungasulwa Mwambande who was Deputy Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining.
The new cabinet has 23 full ministers (including Mutharika who is Minister of Defence) and nine deputy ministers.
The previous cabinet that was dissolved last week had 18 full ministers and six deputies.
Full Cabinet List
1. His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi, Minister of Defence, Commander-In-Ch
• Honourable Chipiliro Mpinganjira, M.P., Deputy Minister of Defence.
2. Honourable Everton Herbert Chimulirenji, Minister of Disaster Management Affairs and Public Events.
3. Honourable Joseph Mwanamvekha, M.P., Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development.
4. Honourable Dr. William Susuwele-Banda,
• Honourable Ismail Rizzq Mkumba, M.P., Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Technology.
5. Honourable Kondwani Nankhumwa, M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
6. Honourable Francis Kasaila, M.P., Minister of Agriculture and Food Security.
• Honourable Chimwemwe Chipungu, M.P., Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security.
7. Honourable Bright Msaka, S.C., M.P., Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
8. Honourable Ralph Jooma, M.P., Minister of Transport and Public Infrastructure.
9. Honourable Charles Mchacha, M.P., Minister of Irrigation and Water Development.
• Honourable Esther Majaza, M.P., Deputy Minister of Irrigation and Water Development.
10. Honourable Benson Malunga Phiri, M.P., Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.
• Honourable Grezelder Jeffrey, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.
11. Honourable Ibrahim Salim Bagus, M.P, Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism.
• Honourable Kenneth Ndovie, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade.
12. Honourable Kamlepo Kalua, M.P., Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development.
13. Honourable Mary Thom Navicha, M.P., Minister of Gender, Child Development and Community Development.
• Honourable Grace Kwelepeta, M.P., Deputy Minister of Gender, Child Development and Community Development.
14. Honourable Symon Vuwa Kaunda, M.P., Minister of Environment, Tourism and Wildlife.
15. Honourable Lilian Patel, M. P., Minister of Labour, Skills and Innovation.
16. Honourable Francis Phiso, M.P., Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture.
• Honourable Martha Chiuluntha Ngwira, M.P., Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture.
17. Honourable Mary Clara Makungwa, Minister of Population Planning and Social Welfare.
18. Honourable Jappie Chancy Mtuwa Mhango, M.P., Minister of Health.
19. Honourable Nicholas Dausi, M.P., Minister of Homeland
Security.
20. Honourable Mark Michael Botomani, M.P., Minister of Information, Civic Education and Communications Technology.
21. Honourable Atupele Muluzi, Minister of Energy.
22. Honourable Henry Chimunthu Banda, M.P., Minister of Natural Resources and Mining.
• Honourable Welani Chilenga, M.P., Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Mining.
23. Honourable Clement Chiwaya, Minister of Persons with Disability and the Elderly.
