Chakwera cabinet is trash: Malawians give their verdict

Malawians say President Lazarus Chakwera’s cabinet is trash and have condemned the president for handing positions to questionable characters.

Chakwera released his cabinet on Wednesday night and list has disappointed many Malawians.

The Malawi leader has handed ministerial posts to Ken Kandodo and his sister Khumbize Kandodo. Malawi Congress Party vice president Sidik Mia is Minister of Transport with his wife appointed deputy minister while Halima Daudi, a relation to the Mia’s, is also a deputy minister.

Zodiak Broadcasting Station owner Gospel Kazako has been appointed as Minister of Information in cabinet where his sister in-law Agnes Nkusa Nkhoma is also a deputy minister.

Law expert Danwood Chirwa said it is probably the most incestuous cabinet since 1994.

Chirwa the restructuring of government seems to have been shaped by political deals than by a concern with effective implementation of the alliance manifesto.

“Questionable characters have been handed posts, there’s is evidence of pay for play (with no lessons learnt from Modecai Msisha), and some new dubious ministries have been created while key ones such as for gender and children affairs have been omitted,” he said.

Chirwa added that Malawians chose Chakwera in the 2020 Elections because they wanted change but the cabinet is uninspiring.

“The first cabinet was meant to send a clear message to all and sundry that patronage, corruption and looting will end, that those who have looted before will be investigated and prosecuted, and that new, clean and competent people will lead Malawi.

“How can one talk of being serious about corruption, yet cashgate masterminds and beneficiaries are part of government? Who are the shining lights in this cabinet? This

I would score it 30%, with 50% being the pass mark,” Chirwa wrote in a Facebook post.

Social commentator Onjezani Kenani, who fundraised for Chakwera’s monitors during the 2020 Elections, said he is greatly underwhelmed by the cabinet list.

“Husband and wife and the wife’s cousin all in one cabinet, really? Malawi wokomera tonse?

“Gospel Kazako, owner of Zodiak Broadcasting Station, Minister of Information. The Minister of Information is an ex-officio member of the board of the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA), which regulates radios and television stations. Granted he could make a show of “relinquishing” ownership, but, frankly, if ZBS were to flout regulations, would he close it?

“Family ties, rather than merit, have dominated the appointment decision-making. This is underwhelming,” wrote Kenani.

Some Malawians havealso  argued that though the administration has changed, the criteria of appointing ministers is the same that was used in the Peter Mutharika administration.