Foreign Affairs Minister Eisenhower Mkaka has defended the hiring of Vice President Saulos Chilima’s mother in-law as the head of the Malawi mission in Zambia.
Miss Magaret Kamoto, who is the mother of Chilima’s wife Mary Chilima, has been appointed to head the Malawi mission in Lusaka, Zambia.
The appointment has led to accusations of nepotism and Malawians have recalled that President Lazarus Chakwera’s cabinet is filled with family members.
But Mkaka has argued that Kamoto has been hired on merit and not because she is Chilima’s mother in-law.
“Those people that have followed her track record will agree with me that she is an achiever,” he said.
He added that Chakwera has appointed qualified Malawians to represent this country in embassies.
He said: “We looked at qualification, moral ground and moral capital to represent this country. This is because what has happened in South Africa has taught us Chakwera has so far appointed 19 new ambassadors, six of whom have been confirmed.
Those appointed include retired judge Esme Chombo, Wezi Moyo, Leornard Mengezi, Joseph Mpinganjira, Agness Mary Chimbiri, former first lady Callista Mutharika, Charles Peter Msosa and Kwacha Chisiza.
