Akweni speaks in House after Cabinet boot:  Pledges loyalty to Mutharika, DPP

Maverick former minister of Civic Education Patricia ‘Akweni’ Kaliati on Thursday spoke in the National Assembly after she was fired just over a month ago  and pledged continued loyalty to President Peter Mutharika and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) , saying she is pleased with  the gains made in the country on development.

Looking energised, triumphant and unmoved, the outspoken Mulanje West MP passionately and highly talked of the DPP and its leadership. This is in sharp contrast to some former cabinet ministers who turn against President Mutharika and the government soon after they are fired.

Mutharika fired Kaliati, a respected politician known to speak her mind on issues and immediately replaced her with Cecelia Chazama, the party deputy secretary general.

It is speculated she was fired because she picked a quarrel with the party secretary general Glazider Jefrey.

But Kaliati addressed some of her former colleagues and asked them to initiate developments projects in her area.

Kaliati is one of the longest serving members of parliament in the 193 strong House having first entered the House first in 1999 on United Democratic Front (UDF) ticket but switched sides to the DPP in 2005 after former president Bingu wa Mutharika cut ties with the UDF, the party that sponsored him into power to form the DPP after accusing his former party of high level corruption and former president Bakili Muluzi decision to continue ruling the country through remote control.