Bingu’s cabinet: 2014 succession master plan
Commentators have described the new cabinet appointed by President Bingu wa Mutharika as a political master plan aimed at consolidating his grip to power and preparing his brother Peter Arthur Mutharika for succession in 2014 if he fails to secure a third term of office.
In keeping with the true Bingu, full of intrigue and surprise the President on Wednesday unveiled the cabinet that has witnessed crushing out of senior colleagues in the NGC.
Henry Mussa the treasure general of the party, Henry Phoya the legal affairs director of the party who only last week was boasting as the longest serving minister of constitutional affairs, Davis Katsonga campaign director and heir apparent, Dr. Ken Lipenga the professional communications man; the maverick Symon Vuwa Kaunda, desertees of MCP Ted Kalebe and Bintoni Kutsaira, upstart homeboys Charles Mchacha and Roy Commsy; the Nyasa political gurus Henry Mumba, Mwerekete Kalua and Frank Mwenefumbo; and not forgetting the Kabula hill giant Rashid Gaffar.
These casualties were last week during an international football match upbeat about their automatic inclusion into the cabinet based on their contribution to the party in the name of financial, material and moral.
“We’re Bingu’s blue eyed boys, nothing can happen without us and there is no way we can be left out in the next cabinet,” charged one lawyer casualty from a rural constituency in Blantyre.
Phoya was on TVM boasting to have been the most efficient minister to have served longest in the same capacity.
Vuwa-Kaunda was also boasting at the High Court on Tuesday that he is rushing to Lilongwe to collect his ministerial limousine because he had been tipped that he is included in the new cabinet.
The cabinet appointment has seen Malawi’s star performer finance minister Goodall Gondwe demoted to the local government ministry sacrificed for late dictator Kamuzu Banda’s nephew Ken Kandodo.
The unexpected departure from the finance ministry of Gondwe has sent the country into panic mode because the successor is a novice in a trade that requires long experience and international connections which Gondwe had as former World Bank employee.
Kandodo on the other hand is a qualified young man but without international finance experience. Most people in Blantyre remember him as comrade to the underworld as evidenced by the loss of classy Mercedes company car to a money shark Rodgers Mwitha.
Probably he is now grown out of it, like all life experiences he may use the past to guide him into the future.
The movement of Dr George Chaponda to the education ministry is another surprise because Chaponda has spent a large cut of his life in refugee camps as an employee of UNHCR.
Conspicuously missing are the several individuals who registered new love for the DPP strategically timed to be considered into the new cabinet.
They include, former vice president Cassim Chilumpha, Uladi Mussa, Yusuf Matumula, Dr. Cornelius Mwalwanda, fired MCP publicist Ishmael Chafukira, former MBC employer Jolly Kalero, Dr. Paul Shaba, Dr. Allan Chiyembekeza, Rev. Ngwira, UDF’s Henry Shaba, Nicholas Dausi among several others.
Also left out are PhD holders Donton Mkandawire, David Mphande, Maggie Kalirani and Bofomo Nyirenda.
The President has not given any ministerial position to the vice president Joyce Banda despite the Head of State grabbing the portfolio of minister of agriculture.
The cabinet has also shut out hopes completely of former desertees of UDF from regrouping in readiness for 2014.
Tagged with: 2014 elections, Bingu, Cabinet, Peter Mutharika
Bwanas and Donas
I like your comments. They are very constructive and an eye opener .At the same time, let us give this cabinet time and chance to perform. It could be too early to prejudge them. As for Hon Peter I wish him all the best (if these allegations are true ie). If you are being groomed for presidency, I do not see a problem with that. You are a Malawian just like all us. At least somebody has to take over at some other time not these other parties which did not even have a presidential candidate on the 19th just because somebody thought one person was indispensable.
The beauty of it all is that a leader is put there by God through its people. Just like we had the currently president, who was voted into second term. We knew him because of people like Dr Muluzi then .We can talk and talk but God will give us the best when time is ripe. Long live the warm heart of Africa- I love you.
A Malawi azanga !!! dnt take ministerial positions as they are for life. A His Excellency Ngwazi always says, I quote ” Like in the game of football there are always substitutes who replaces others after they hv played for some minutes in the game’ therefore, what Ngwazi have done is one of the promises He has been saying all along. Remember that He said we should expect suprises1. Let also the new blood get some experience coz in anything, you can not get experience unless u are exposed to the work. Even our former ministers who hv been left, at one point they had to be included in the cabinet for the fist time. Hence tisachulutse gagam’diwa apa! Let us support our friends. As Ngwazi always says I QUOTE ‘ TIYENDE PAMODZI NDI MTIMA UMODZI’. MALAWI HV TO LEARN SOME FROM HIM. GOD BLESS PEACE LOVING COUNTRY’MALAWI’
Abingu ndema goofa u cant even deny….Ken Kandodo???joke of the year indeed!!!!bring back goodall for the sake of the country!!!
actuali i take that back,bingu keep blundering ife were havin a good laugh!!!
Good One
Wish others well. Goodall has just shown the humility of a true servant to the nation. The article is obviously biased to create some resentment for those that have not made it into Cabinet. Thats what we are used to when we read Nyasatimes sometimes. Those PhD holders, former ministers, etc are still assets to the nation even outside cabinet. There are so many portfolios outside Cabinet which suppoort govt work. Whats the fuss about?
Debutants like Kandodo just need that support. Ken have Bingu, Goodall, etc to support him in that role. He is a rookie but with suppport he will succeed.
No problems in DPP and our Govt. Some journalists may be have a problem.
May God Bless Malawi.
Mzara
all malawians lets support the president and new ministers appointed. They is no way all mentioned people left to be in the cabinet. If new comers make experience then the country will forge ahead with prosperity. Previously ministers were appointed on appeasement and yes boss. We need ministers with objectivity mind then hope malawi will move quickly with development. Tisamadalire parliament kuti mwina akasusa. Let cabinet meetings be focus on development of the country and life of people. This govt got majority not to wory with parliament.
About third term ayi ndithu abig no, dont forget Elison failed and this has costed his party. Focus of parties should not be run as personal car. Kuti ngati sindinayike mafuta noone will drive it. Let people come on the open and start cootributing to the party not with aim to get big position. If malawi economy is second growing fast in the world then politically it shud be the same. This will stop presidents choosing relative successor. I believe malawi got chance of doing better anthu ambiri asiya kumapita kunja kofuna makobili.constitution review yiwonedwe msanga with am aim to make clear than keeping people panicking with rough
By the what do deputy ministers do? Bingu managed the country well without vice president. Can someone tell me more about the duty of these deputies? Otherwise what do principle secretaries and Directors do in these ministries?
Naphiri, Exactly that is my point. There are duplicaing jobs and in so doing people will be sitting idly drinking their teas in their offices.
Ministers, deputy ministers, principal secretaries. directors and the list goes on.
Malawi is one of the poorest of the third world (undeveloped) countries and hence predominantly depends on donor funds. Why not cut back and streamline the cabinet by slashing all the deputy ministers. Their jobs should be distributed to the directors or principal secretaries. 23 Ministers is fine, but 43 ministers is unacceptable to a country that still needs a lot of development. I think the president must organise a tour into the villages to see how people live. Check on the MPs or Ministers if they are bringing the goods to the people.
So Bingu could have picked all those you esteem in your communities? I bet, if all were included Bingu could be in hot soup, the cabinet could be too fat for Malawi. So what did we expect him to do? Kodi enawa siaMalawi? Samadziwa ntchito? Are we just pointing a finger for the sake of it or with stinner stuff? You mean Godwall will not be giving advices to Kandodo if need be? Kodi ndiye kuti enawa ndi milungu yoti singasinthidwe?
Nyasatimes, what are you driving at? To make these ministers left out to rise against Bingu or what? Bingu has a prerogative to hire and fire ministers as read out in our constitution. Mind you, ministerial position are not there for life, people should expect to be hired and to be fired. Izi za eklezia katolika zosiyiranasiyirana. Today, you are a minister, tomorrow, expect to be a nonentity. The Henry Mussas, Ken Lipengas and others, did their job and let them see how others will do. If they fail, in human spirirt they have to come out and assist wherever possible for the good of our mother Malawi.
The change of Gondwe is nothing. Gondwe performed well at Finance ministry, and may be the president saw that ministry of local government lacked such capabilities to assist in development and hence sending Gondwe to head the ministry for it to transform or rejuvinate. Mind you, local government ministry now is has alot of tasks. if we mean rural development, then we go to local government, we have decentralization, and constituency development funds channelled through district assemblies, and these are money which need a man who knows much of finances to monitor its use. Therefore, if call it demotion, then you are missing the point. After all, have you heard Gondwe complaining? Can you know that before the cabinet was released may be Bingu had consulted his friend Gondwe on this possible line up? Asiyeni anthu atukule Malawi.
On Ken Edward Kandodo Banda, he is not alone, he is in cabinet and he is free to consult with his fellow ministers how best he can perform. Mind you, the president is there also to give him a hand, even Gondwe himself, cannot see things go heywire at Finance ministry without giving Ken a hand, so all these are but water under bridge. If we start talking our past, then not all did well during their past days. We had somewhere we goofed. We learn by mistakes, so if Ken was involved in money multiplying scandal with Mwitha, that is a forgotten thing, let us look ahead and see what he/Ken will do for us as a National purse keeper.
zakale zimenezo, aliyese ali ndi kale lake, lets support Ken – he will deliver – kodimukufuna ma life ministers! dzikoli ndi latonse – go Ken go – prove to the world that you can make it!nyamata wa ku chiwengo! ken woyeeeee