APM counsels Chaponda: Malawi President urges productivity from new agriculture minister or face chop  

President Peter Mutharika has warned newly appointed  Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, George Chaponda,  to re-organise the ministry or risk losing his cabinet portfolio.

Mutharika said this on Wednesday when he opened this year’s tobacco selling and buying season in Lilongwe.

“You are a new broom known for sweeping wherever you are. Sweep that ministry or I will sweep you,” said Mutharika.

Chaponda did not respond instantly but speaking last week in Chikhwawa at a political rally Chaponda described himself as a “bulldozer” and promised to reorganise the ministry so that it is effective, efficient and relevant to the needs of agriculture sector in Malawi.

Mutharika promised to give all the support to Chaponda who has in rhe past headed key ministries of Education, Justice and Foreign Affairs.

Chaponda is the vice president of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and inner circle of the Mutharika leadership also believed to be  earmarked to succeed the President.

Mutharika fired Allan Chiyembekeza as agricultire minister last week at the time when the country is facing severe food shortages, messy FISP and abuse of funds continue to rock the ministry which is supposed to spearhead policies that ensures Malawi is food secure.

‘No hunger-deaths’

At the opening ceremony, Mutharika reiterated that no one has died of hunger in the country.

He said the police, National Intelligence Bureau and ministry of Health officials carried out an assessment to verify reports that some people died of hunger.

“There is no single person who died of hunger. You must stop propagating reports that some people died of hunger, these reports are just meant to decampaign the DPP and Mutharika, there is no basis in the reports,” he said.

He said it is not the DPP or Mutharika that has brought hunger in Malawi but weather phenomenon, El Nino.

Mutharika claimed there is now enough maize in Admarc depots yet the media is not publishing the positive story.

However, private radio, Zodiak said on Wednesday women continue to struggle to buy maize in Admarc depots in Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre.

Admarc has put advertisements in newspapers asking for tenders for the supply of maize to the state controlled grain company.

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