Mutharika has failed Malawians again on cabinet reorganisation- Critics
Critics have faulted President Peter Mutharika on his recent cabinet reorganisation saying it does not represent renewal and that it has only created duplication of responsibilities for some ministries and departments.
The critics have also pointed out the newly constituted Cabinet released on Wednesday night by President Mutharika failed to inspire hope by merely moving around five of his ministers and two deputy ministers, formed new portfolios and disbanded Sports as a stand-alone portfolio..
“The reshuffles expose failure in defining different sectoral priorities and categorisation of the sectors,” observed University of Malawi’s (Unima) Chancellor College political scientist Joseph Chunga.
He said: “The whole essence of defining a particular department is because you assume it has a particular mandate to address in as far as government structure is concerned and if you find cases where you have what could have been very related sectors of functional dimensions split in different departments then you wonder what is government really trying to achieve.”
In the new cabinet, 13 ministers, including Mutharika as Minister of Defence and Vice-President Saulos Chilima as Minister Responsible for Disaster and Relief Management and National Public Events, have maintained their posts.
Government spokesperson Patricia Kaliati has been moved to the newly created Ministry of Civic Education, Culture and Community Development whereas former Minister of Transport and Public Works Malison Ndau now heads what is called Ministry of Information and Communications Technology to become new government spokesman.
Sports, previously headed by Grace Chiumia now Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, has been moved to Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development with Henry Mussa retained at as its minister.
Chiumia replaced Jappie Mhango who is now Minister of Transport and Public Works.
Another political analyst at Chancellor College Mustapha Hussein queried President Mutharika why creating a separate ministriesfor urban development and rural development “when we already have community and all these are communities.”
Hussein said “there is need for proper segregation”.
He said: “ One would wonder the complimentarity of coherence in moving sports to the ministr y of labour, because labour requires a totally different way of doing things.”
In the new Cabinet, the President has also introduced a deputy minister at Home Affairs and Internal Security filled by Aggrey Masi who was appointed in April, Deputy Minister of Defence. His post has been filled by Vincent Ghambi, formerly Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Technology, a position that has since been scrapped off.
Ernest Thindwa, another political scientict at Chancellor College noted that cabinet reshuffles in Malawi are meangless because they are “structured mostly torespond to political expediency than to developmenta needs.”
He said citizens expects to see structures that are oriented to enhance government machinery performance and respond to development needs.
Governance activist Rafiq Hajat said reshuffle meanst that ministers are not performing well in their positions.
He wondered why Mutharika maintained his cabinet team including the suspected seven cashgate ministers and George Chaponda who has not disclosed his assets updated information as required by the law.
“We all know how important assets declaration is in the country,” said Hajat.
Thindwa also said the cabinet reshuffle in Malawi have not responded on the basis of underperformance or shift in terms of policy positions.
Mutharika last reshuffled his Cabinet in April this year when Allan Chiyembekeza, former Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, was dropped.
This was the fifth reshuffle since the President assumed office in May 2014.
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It is all just a case of ‘musical chairs’. The same people are moved around but nothing really changes. It is all window dressing, the goods are all the same.
I don’t see any good justification to fault the President on reorganising his cabinet.It is his prerogative to reorganise his cabinet and Ministries as deem fit to suit his Strategies.Also another President would live things unchanged and devise a strategy that would yield results yet the same strategy if applied by another President would fail to deliver. Merging Sports Ministry with Labour may make no sense to one person yet it makes sense to another but to Malawi situation, sports could be taken critically as a serious career to the many jobless Youth who have such sports talent not being… Read more »
Shupi, don’t be cheated that APM was elected by only Lomwes. Let us accept that the guy did his job in campaign and achieved what he wanted. Tell me how many Lomwes do we have in Malawi across the country? Why don’t other tribes gang up and make their fellow tribeman win the votes? The issue is not about which tribe is populous but which candidate is loved across the country. What you people should know is that insulting APM or DPP leadership is a waste of time. Go to the village and tell people there that APM is a… Read more »
Mr Buyelekhaya, you say there is calm before a storm, that is true. But we are talking about the storm which is already causing havoc and we are expecting a stronger one as the journey continues. These guys who are fighting Chakwera will not stop there till he comes up to his senses and know how to respect his juniors. My advice to Kokani and Central, if you really love the MCP is to start building the party structures in the South and make them strong. After that you should embark on the Centre on what you think you can… Read more »
What you are saying Kokani is true. Chakwera will win in his party and on party elections. That is at the MCP CONVENTION. My argument is that he will not make it to state house how much he can sweat. Kokani you should be frank with the truth. Where do you think the man will amass the votes for his victory? You know votes from one region cannot make him win the elections. Go back to the 2014 elections and see how many votes he got from the South when APM was in opposition. Do you expect to penetrate the… Read more »
Santana longosokani inu mukuti MCP ndiyimene imuthe Chakwera which MCP are you talking about. Are you MCP talk about failures of DPP and if you think Chakwera will lose sit you will be in trouble Santana dziko lakukanikani mpaka Minister of community development zazii. Konzekana zolimba kuonana maso ndi maso ndi Chakwera. You will see how painful red card is.
Mr Central, you are the one who was talking much of Chakwera as a front-liner. You and Kokani should know that the DPP leadership has nothing to fear from Chakwera because he is not a threat to anyone. It is MCP which will finish Chakwera because of his childish leadership. MCP has realized that the man can not take them across the Jordan come 2019. The opposition is just good at making noise instead banging its heads on what ways to take to defeat the DPP in 2019. Where is Msonda with all that noise of Amayi is coming? Now… Read more »
This shows that Santana is a pillock. Why an inadequate comment
Would you do me justice by singling out aspects of childishness in Chakwera’s leadership? Za Kongilesi muzisiye chifukwa nkutheka kuti mukudziwapo zochepa. Machairmen omwe adachitengera chipani ku khoti motsogozedwa ndi mayi wowawidwa mtima ndi aja akulephera kulankhula zomveka bwino komanso kupeleka maumboni owona. Osokoneza ku MCP akuwonekera ng’amba. Wina wazitaya yekha dzulodzuloli! Za ku DPP ndiye mudikire kaye chifukwa “there’s calm before a storm” Ndipo nthawi yake ili nkudza! Komanso chipani chija ndi cha banja. Ingoti phee! Muwonanso. Kudali zipani zotchuka komanso zachikoka ngati UDF ndi Aford. Pano ndiye ndi sanza zokhakzokha! Muwonanso!
Tell me, is Jappie Mhango delivering? The whole cabinet is not delivering
Abale Tman kumanena kuti dziko likuyenda ali mMalawi momuno koma. Osangonena kuti dziko likuyenda koma mozondoka nthawi yina yiriyonse likugwa. Nzomvetsa chisoni anyani awa alimbana ndi Chakwera mmalo moyendetsa boma. Zinthu zavutadi koma palibe chikuyenda apa Chakwera ndiwa MCP woti simugona naye tulo a DPP mulimmadzi. Muli Chakwera aluza convention tizawine mavoti ng’oooooooo! Muzathawa muno ngati mtsikana Joice. Mwalinunkhitsa dziko ili agalu inu.
Mau awo. Chakwera boma. Wish it was yesterday to remove mabibiwa
Ayi Tman tisatero, the centre will one day present a president to Malawi but not from MCP and the north i always cry for this beloved region. They always complain koma dimadzifunsa kuti nthawi ya chinsankho bwanji amavotera atsogoleri ochokera zigawo zina koma amalalata ngati samavota. Let’s make our north strong by having a party. Abale are you sure kuti kungochoka Chakufwa Chihana kulibenso wina ku north wise enough to lead a strong party? I understand you call yourselves the brains of Malawi Give us a leader from the North in a strong party please