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Bingu appoints nephew Malawi envoy to China

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Nyasa Times Reporter 09 May, 2008 06:50:00

President Bingu Mutharika has appointed his nephew Charles Namondwe to head the newly opened diplomatic mission in Beijing, China, State House sources have revealed.

 

Namondwe currently serving as Chief of Staff (State Residences) is a social and visual anthropologist.

"The Chief of Staff is being posted to China as Ambassador. Dr Bruce Munthali will replaces him as Chief of Staff," disclosed a State House source.

 

Namondwe has operated in various government departments and once served as a lecture at the University of Malawi where he was a Director in the Department of Arts and Crafts.

His name will however be referred to parliamentary public appointments committee for confirmation.

However, President Mutharika is determined to post Namondwe on a tour on duty of duty in China even if the parliamentary committee refuses to approve his name as has been the case with Malawi’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Agrina Mussa.

"The appointment of Namondwe to Beijing is strategic for the President. Being his nephew and trust man, he would like him to be the main player of his dealing with the Chinese," said State House source.

"Confirmation or no confirmation from parliament, Namondwe will be in China as the President is resolved on this matter," the reliable source said.

 

Malawi established diplomatic ties with China after ditching the Republic of China (Taiwan) a friend of over 40 years last December.

 

Since the opening of the embassy in Beijing, it has been manned by Mr Makawa who is a lawyer in the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

His major task has been setting up the mission.

 

In a practice of nepotism of the highest order, Mutharika is rewarding his nephew for keeping him in the servant quarters at the time when the President did not have a house following the dismissal from a top job as Comesa Secretary General following embezzlement of funds.

 

Comments (5 posted):

Hands Kawoko on 09 May, 2008 07:28:21
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That is nepotism in the highest order. He can go ahead to deploy this nephew there so long Malawians and the world at large know all this that has happened. Once the other government comes in, these are the peolpe who talk much when they are called back. Continue doing the nepotistic thing now as this it your time. You are not the first one even baba Tembo was doing the same and came Bakili didi the same so what is wrong with you?
Charles Choti on 09 May, 2008 01:25:56
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Sometimes we overplay the issue of nepotism to unacceptable levels. Should competent and qualified relatives of presidents be excluded from state jobs simply because they happen to be relatives of the first family? Come on, this is being too simplistic and petty. In developed democracies, these things happen without protests because these individuals are also citizens like anybody else. For example, in the early 1960s, U.*. president, J.F. Kennedy appointed his younger brother U.*. attorney general and the senate gave him express approval as a qualified American. But, in Africa, it is nepotism! Of course, we don'* expect such appointments to be based on mediocrity and widespread.
Boss Mwafulirwa on 09 May, 2008 08:01:35
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Its their time, ya ena ikazakwana, azawamva. there was Kamuzu, then Bakili, now its Bingu.Nepotism at work, if it is a reality.
on 10 May, 2008 01:42:56
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If the appointed person has the credentials to run for the office, * see no problem, but if the appointment is on nothing other than merit, then, *, too condemn the move.
Robert Namondwe on 12 September, 2008 11:13:18
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Why should someone with the competence and the qualities be denied of the right to serve his country just because they r related.Look at the calibre of the people baba bm used to appoint they cant mach
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