Malawians are mocking President Lazarus Chakwera over his delay to fill vacant cabinet positions.
The cabinet currently has no Minister of Transport and Minister of Local Government following the death of previous holders Sidik Mia and Lingson Belekanyama respectively in January this year.
Chakwera in April fired Minister of Labour Ken Kandodo while Minister of Energy Newton Kambala was removed last week.
The president is also yet to appoint a new Attorney General following the firing of Chikosa Silungwe in July.
Malawians on social media say the president’s delay to appoint new members of cabinet for the vacant positions shows he is afraid of making appointments.
Tchaka Wa Tchakaz said: “I am feeling sorry for this president, his fear to make decisions and appointments it’s worrisome. This slowness will even make this country to move slow. What has come over our president exactly?”.
Jonathan Chimaliro said: “Does it mean that when one becomes a President has to be advised in everything, he can’t just think by himself what is the right thing to do? Indecisiveness makes one look a failure.”
While Seleman Wales Daiton said: “Chakwera sachedwa kuiwala (easily forgets), at the end he will be saying I’m shocked, but any way, Violet (daughter) will be our next attorney General.”
Speaking this afternoon, Chakwera’s executive assistant and State House Director of Communications Sean Kampondeni said when appointing ministers, the president considers several issues that may be affected by the timing of the appointments.
“The president usually ensures that he makes such appointments in a manner that would promote unity in the country,” says Kampondeni.
He added that the issue of vacancies in the cabinet is an issue that the president thinks about every day and when the president feels the time is right to make the appointment in a way that unity will be promoted, the president will announce new the ministers.
