Cabinet reshuffle looming as Malawi Parliament adjourns sine die
Malawi Parliament on Friday adjourned sine die after lawmakers gave the stamp of approval to the revised fiscal plan to trim K10 billion from the K1.323 trillion 2017-18 National Budget to K1.313 trillion and now there is great expectation of a Cabinet reshuffle as Nyasa Times understands President Peter Mutharika is putting the finishing touches of the shake-up.
State House and Office of President and Cabinet have refused to comment on the impending reshuffle, saying issue of appointments and removal of Cabinet Ministers is the prerogative of the President.
But it is understood that Justice and Constitutional Afairs minister Samuel Tembenu, Agriculture and Water, Joseph Mwanamvekha, Civic Education Minister Grace Chiumia, Local Government minister Kondwani Nankhumwa, would all be continuing in their posts.
The reshuffle could also see the entry of Ralph Jooma, former chief whip of the People’s Party (PP) and Welani Chilenga a PP legislature from Chitipa.
Sources says Mutharika is juggling a lot of balls considering the reshuffle will be political alignment as the President has to to cut deadweight, hence he has a delicate balancing act.
“There have been clear indications of an upcoming Cabinet reshuffle but the timing remains uncertain,” a government source told Nyasa Times.
The current cabinet is as follow:
The full list:
- President, Minister of Defence, Commander-in-chief: Arthur Peter Mutharika
- Vice President, Minister Responsible for Disaster Relief Management and Public Events: Saulos Klaus Chilima
- Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development: Goodall Gondwe
- Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism: Henry Mussa
- Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare: Jean Kalilani
- Minister of Local Government and Rural Development: Kondwani Nankhumwa
- Minister of Health and Population: Atupele Muluzi
- Minister of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development: Francis Lazlo Kasaila
- Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development: Joseph Mwanamvekha
- Minister of Education, Science and Technology: Bright Msaka
- Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs: Samuel Batson Tembenu
- Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation: Emmanuel Fabiano
- Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security: Grace Obama Chiumia
- Minister of Transport and Public Works: Jappie Chancy Mhango
- Minister of Information and Communications Technology: Nicholas Dausi
- Minister of Civic Education, Culture and Community Development: Cecilia Chazama
- Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining: Aggrey Masi
- Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development: Anna Kachikho
- Deputy Minister of Defence: Everton Chimulirenji
- Deputy Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare: Clement Mukumbwa
Attorney General: Charles Mhango
This is all speculation, Mutharika has no balls to do a cabinet reshuffle now.
What’s sine die?
From the Wikipedia article “Sine Die”:
Adjournment sine die (from the Latin “without day”) means “without assigning a day for a further meeting or hearing”. To adjourn an assembly sine die is to adjourn it for an indefinite period. A legislative body adjourns sine die when it adjourns without appointing a day on which to appear or assemble again.
Bwana President you need a very strong office within the presidency to monitor performance of various ministries and departments without which you will fail dismally. There’s a lot of dead wood that will do well with a monitoring system. We understand that you can’t have your eyes everywhere (ndinu otopa kale) hence the need for a strong monitoring & evaluation office. Keep the 20 ministries (trim and effective). 10 of the ministers should be removed and replace with those that are ethical, hardworking and are focused on serving the people. Otherwise muluza ma elections.
Too late.There are some people ,everything they touch dies.Every ministry he was given by Bingu he failed .So you are expecting him to deliver?Keep on dreaming! Lean cabinet countless advisor.Please appoint me advisor on how to use Mysterious Resources/MagicMoney/Miracle Money.