Chakwera’s partial Cabinet: Mixture of hope and anxiety for new Malawi

June 29, 2020 Mike Fiko –Nyasa Times 48 Comments

President Lazarus Chakwera has announced a partial Cabinet that, give it a second look, stirs a mixed feeling of hope and anxiety.

Chilima: Back to reforms

You have to be hopeful to see the energetic and workaholic Vice president Saulos Chilima back to head Public Sector Reforms where, after making great strides, he left a gap his contemporaries failed to fill.

Further, having Chilima manage the planning of our economic policy is saucy and juicy because, we know, he will be at the heart of implementing every detail they promised Malawians during the campaign period.

However, I am anxious as to why Finance ministry has, again, been divorced from Economic Planning and Development. The two works together and I would have loved to see them together being headed by Chilima, not Felix Mlusu.

Not that Mlusu is bad. No. Rather, Chilima’s work ethic and energy could help a lot in cleaning the swamp that is in our finance ministry.

Further, Mlusu, for God’s sake, retired in 2016 after over 40 years in corporate governance. We should have left him resting. I don’t find it progressive to be resurrecting retirees when we have several progressive young people in finance that can also do better.

Our justice system with Chilima’s lawyer, Dr Chikosa Silungwe as Attorney General, and Chakwera’s lawyer, Modecai Msisha, as Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, doesn’t look bad. What the two can do is a story we all bore the truth and we are self-evident.

Some, of course, can argue that their appointments are more on the appeasing side—which is true; however, we should never shy away from the fact that the two are well-trained and, importantly, immensely experienced.

My only worry, though, are two issues. Msisha is too old and tired. Just as Mlusu, the two should have been left to be resting—if anything, they should have been considered an advisory role, not an active public office they have occupied.

Secondly, we have this sensitive issue about Chakwera and Chilima lawyers billing Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) K9 billion as their legal fees. Granted, how will Silungwe and Msisha handle the outstanding legal fees issue which, we know, the two are also beneficiaries?

Otherwise, the rest of the other appointees don’t stress me at all.

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48 replies on “Chakwera’s partial Cabinet: Mixture of hope and anxiety for new Malawi”

  1. Msisya refused because he had to outweigh the benefits of his 9.7 billion heist against the benefits he would get as cabinet minister. This was a carefully planned theft by the court judges , the petetioners and their lawyers. If indeed these are realistic charges that lawyers Charge, I guess these people should have been flying jets. Imagine the money they are demanding is our 15% of the provisional budget. HRDC would not say anything about this theft because they have a cut. Potani already hinted that MEC should not worry about costs because they will be paid by Malawians and it was not surprising that he awarded the petetioners cost to be paid by the second respodents.

  2. Chilima wanted the position of Finance Minister because he claimed, falsely, that he was underutilised during DPP. Chakwera who agreed to make Chilima be at the heart of government has just given him the previous portfolio Mutharika gave him plus a redundant ministry of Economic Planning – we already have a planning commission. Apapa, Chilima wagwa mayo. Full stop! He is again, in his words, being under-utilised. Of course, for obvious reasons – Chakwera does NOT want to fatten a poisonous SNAKE. Well, now that Chilima has helped him cross the bridge.

  3. Malawi iso a very small country, a slight uptick in one sector can vigoroussly rejuvenate our economy.
    We need to put our elders on welfare,(food stumps and monthly stipends),unemployed youth must get a monthly stipend up until employed,access to financial loans should be laxed .God has blessed us by honouring our vote now is the time for our new leaders to bring an assembly of the genius our land has.
    Thinkers,creators,designers,innovators, architects should be assembled and help craft a better Malawi.
    Let emigration be an option to any Malawian, a rebirth of Malawi should be a model the whole Africa should wish for.Now is the time to turn words into action,If it’s true that irrigating the whole Lower Shire can feed the whole nation then let’s go for it.It’s very easy making Malawi rich and keep our citizenry home,Malawians are wanderers in foreign lands where their dignity is sold ,works in humiliating conditions, everyday they dream of going back home but the pictures in their head forces them stucking put.Lets change Malawi

  4. On the contrary to your anxiousness, am happy with the newly appointed ministers. This is tough time, we are in clinical period. We don’t need untested medics to treat malawi. This malawi needs already proven and trusted medical remedy. No one can dispute how proficient is mr chilima, no one can dispute professionalism of mr mulusi. His work speaks for him in NICO. WE need people likevthem who can turn around malawi’s dire situation.

    Thanks our president for trusting these people as your cabinet ministers

  7. Chimwendo Banda’s appointment to Home Affairs ministry is a misfit in a ‘New Era’ being promised by Tonse Alliance. Look, the guy has been at the center of violence perpetrated by MCP since the 2019 elections. He also shouldn’t have been anywhere near Leader of the House position, we need mature and sober minded people there. Why has the previous leader of opposition been booted out? Komanso other than Silungwe and Msisha, all appintment mwangosanja ochewa basi? Tikukuonanitu.

  8. Muli kunja inu,do you think angamusankhe asanakambilane,
    Mwayambapo,tiyeni tiwapatse 100 days nde tione kuti ndi chani?as of now Chilima azionetsetsa kuti zomwe zinanenedwa zipangiwe,
    Ili ndi boma la Chakwera ndi Chilima,Sila bingu Kaya Peter,nde boma ili siliyendera history,koma zomwe zikufunika kuchitika

  9. Komanso Itsanana inuuuuu? Zeze told the whole world that he will be Min of Finance. Amangodzikodzeramo? The ex-reverend Nyau Lezala prefers a tired and good for nothing tribesman, a nyau from Kasungu. 69 years old who retired as an executive of the insurance industry. Reason, he got a loan and sponsored Itsanana. Cry my beloved country. My vote was wasted. Down the drain it goes.

    1. Koma inu mukuti ‘mtumbukambuka” ndinu mbuzi yeniyeni. Mwachoka kuti kodi, Ku Tanzania kapena? Minister was Home Affairs akufufuzeni bwino. Tiona nonse mutumizidwa kwanu illegal imigrants

  12. Chilima is the vice president note that therefore he can not stand in Parliament presenting budget himself I think lets applaud the president on that. He is a second in command this is very big job do not compare with previous regime where he was left in the cold no he will be working as state vice president.

  13. Nkhani ya legal fee for the two hardworking lawyers siikukhudzana ndi izitu. Chapter icho ndi china, let them get thier payment. Chapter ichi ndi chinanso, respect!!!

  15. My free advice is Malawi’s economy is tiny so keep your cabinet tiny and grow the economy before you even consider any hand-outs programme. You wish to increase the tax-threshold without considering where your new revenues will come from!! Every new social programme must have a clearly identifiable revenue source!!!

  16. This is so harsh!! My brother, age is not a disqualifier. Mlusu and Msisha have tremendous experience. Mlusu is a true gentleman. He will work well with the State VP. The finance portfolio would not have been good for the VP. It is just too much of a teller business. The State VP has developed a vision for the nation and it is good that he be place at a level to guide the President and the cabinet. It is very wise

  17. With civil service reform and economic planning was going to be too much had he been bestowed the ministry of finance on him besides being a vice president. It’s good that he plans and reforms. Nothing about Kujudulidwa. Ministry of finance is a very sensitive and involving sector….

  18. My only problem is on Silungwe and Msisha. Just because they were theirs lawyers and that it’s because of them which contributed to them being in government today . I hope next we will see Mtambo in cabinet. Appeasement will not end in Malawi. Now how is Msisha and Silungwe going to protect Malawian taxes in the 9 billion kwacha legal fees claim to govt

  20. I agree with the sensitivity of having a vice President being finance minister, to me it would compromise the office of the veep. To maintain its call, let someone be responsible as it has been put.

  21. Ministry of Finance is the busiest ministry in government. Actually, from my public service experience, one would say it is busier than the presidency, in terms of actual work in the office. So, to expect a VP to double as a Ministry of Finance would, in my opinion, be expecting too much as the VP Office in itself is demanding (forget about the past where it was misused). So, he is better placed at EP&D and the Reforms. FYI, EP&D is backbone to all MDAs, the budget is actually based on our development plan and the public sector reform will cover every other ministry.

  22. Economic planning should go with Chithumba, when you plan you have also to look at your resources

  23. Msiska is just too old guy to hold a public office just like Mlusu who retired four years ago and is now resting at home. Msiska certainly will not deliver though he is experienced in legal issues. What we are seeing here is appointments to appease him. As for Silungwe he will start bathing . From his looks he seems be too dirty to be a public appointee. His hair unkempt. He will be a disgrace to the office of the attorney general chambers. As for Chilima, he can’t manage the purse as a finance minister He is not qualified for the post . Let him stay at reforms. We know he wanted to be the pursue keeper as he openly mentioned at Njamba three weeks ago. But Lazaro has sensed danger . Don’t trust chilima because soon he will rise against Chakwera. We are now waiting to hear where Lazaro will put the following : Akweni, Royal Kachale, Chisi, Chihana, Mnesa, Katsonga , Kamuzu Chbambo, Manganya, Kumkuyu, Mtambo( the Burundian), Lower shire giant Mia , MKaka, Gengwe, Robin Lowe, Kaliya, the KaZombo family ,Lucius, Winiko, the Msumgama. The list is endless. It’s a government meant to appease people. Sorry for Saulosi for being sidelined on finance minister post

    1. U must be an idiot honestly, Msisha singlehandedly humiliated Kalekeni kaphale in court at his age, he swayed the courts with his legal expertise to the amazement of malawians, that was a very complex job for him to convince both the Concourt and supreme Court of appeals and then win the court battles, and today he has become old? where were the young boys to defend MCP in courts? Let Modecai be the minister he fought a good fight honestly!!!!

  24. Good presentation especially on the old guys ie Msisha and Mlusu……….the rest look fantastic so far….

  25. Chilima, Kapondamgaga, Msiska, Mulusi, and Silungwe are all appeasements made by Chakwera administration. In terms of gender on partial admin it’s also a problem. Take your time men! Get the right people yah! Caz first impression matters most. Do not just look at Chewa and Tumbuka boundaries. The goodness is that ya still tussling with appointment of recycled politicians like Joyce, Patricia, Calista Mutarika, John Chiri and the like.

    Tikuona ndipo tikumvetsera zochitika mwa tcheru. I wish Modecai should just decline the Ministerial Position so that he should retire clean

    1. U must be a big idiot honestly, now. He is old when he was outsmarting dunderheads like kaphale in courts u never raised that age factor, he smartly convinced the courts to win the case both at Concourt and supreme Courts, I think that was more complex job than just being a minister, u guys have no heart to insult Modecai Msisha that way,let him enjoy he the architect behind DPP nyekhwe in courts elections case

  26. Felix mlusu is too old, cannot understand the modern economy, hedging instruments, hybrid instruments. Mlusu and such old guys should be sent to dziwe la nkhalamba to rest in peace. An ambitious nation cannot be sending them to the corridors of government office. Chilima look at what you have brought us,,,,

    1. You took some class or watched CNBC one day and picked up some buzz words now you think you know it all. I digress.

      The depth and breadth of finance is so vast that you cannot entrust the country’s treasury to someone who has not yet fully ventured into the great depths of international & local fiscal policy, marketable treasury securities, international markets, financial regulation.

      Minister of Finance is a full-time job and whoever is in charge of that ministry is on the job 24/7. There is no room for VP duties or Civil Service reform in this position. You need a serious person who when he speaks the President respects and listens to.

      Do you think President Chakwera is stupid to risk upsetting VP Chilima from the get-go to pick Hon. Mlusu? This is a specialized position that requires mastery of a certain skill-set and one that you don’t experiment with. Not everyone can do this job.

  27. Politics of appeasement. Mlusu is very old and retired. Mordecai also is an old goat. Why not just give Chilima the ministry of Finance and find a younger lawyer to give Mordecais role.

  28. The truth is Chilima wajudulidwa. SIMPLE. Giving him position of Economic Planning when we have a Commission for planning is redundant. Even during Bingu wa Mutharika’s time, the appointment to that position was a ‘by the way’ because it is a useless ministry if it stands alone – away from Finance. The thing is, Chakwera has managed to kick Chilima away from Finance. Nyenkhwe is real!

    4. The two of them, Chilima and Chakwera came up with those appointments. Listen to the speech by the president. The president consulted him. My guess is that reform just like finance is way too involving and Chilima would not have managed to carry out the two duties wth distinction. So far so good for me.

    5. I 100 agree with u. Laz has to appear to be at the helm and not dancing to the tune of the VP. It makes sense

    6. I don’t see any problem for the task Chilima has been given. Moreover the appointees are not permanent, Chilima might be given head the finance ministry in real budget after 100days. Similarly the rest if position are also okay in view of experience these guys have

    7. What you dont know is what really they discussed for him to be given that ministerial position. In my own understanding, the position given to Chilima is more detailed than just being a finance minister. He is the one that will be responsible for the economic activities planning and implementation of the country in every department of the government. The finance ministry will just fund what the office of Chilima has recommended. And institutional reform is what really our nation needs at the moment because our government institutions are rotten to the core. It will only take a man like Chilima to champion the reformation because exactly what needs to be done. So for people to criticise his position as a minister is just one way of advancing dirty agendas they have always harboured in their hearts against the relationship of Chilima and Chakwera, but those agendas will not work. The change has come.

    8. That’s not the issue, this is the beginning not the ending,so chilima can do more on planning better things where the money can be spend so that Malawians lives improves.What chilima plans and implement, money will go there.Planning is important,you first plan before you spend money.So there is no nyekhwe here.The most important thing in public sector institutions is planning and implementation.

    9. Zako izo Cadet. This is a plan agreed by both parties. Tamangolira maliro agogo wako ali ku Mangchi uja Game Changer is Malawi State Vice President.

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