Chakwera to name full cabinet before inauguration on July 6 Malawi Independence Day

President Lazarus Chakwera has said he has together with his deputy Saulos Chilima made “great progress in the formulation of Cabinet” and will announce the names of full cabinet officials before his inauguration on July 6 during the Malawi Independence Day.

Chakwera is Malawi’s sixth president after winning the historic election held last week, the first time a court-overturned vote in Africa has resulted in the defeat of an incumbent leader.

“As per procedure, nominees for cabinet will be consulted before appointment, following which they will still be at liberty to reconsider accepting the extent or form of their involvement in the event that certain exigencies of public office demand a change thereof, with assurance of no remonstration or recrimination on my part,” said President Chakwera in a tweet Wednesday morning.

President Chakwera has tasked Vice President Chilima with the role of public service reforms as many Malawians have lost trust in state institutions and see them as inefficient and corrupt.

Chilima has also been appointed minister of economic planning and development in the five-man cabinet that the Malawi leader announced on Monday.

“I will be announcing the rest of the cabinet members very soon,” said Chakwera, who has pledged a lean cabinet of no more than 30 with 40% being women.

Former private sector hand Felix Mlusu—who used to run multinational conglomerate Nico Holdings plc as managing director and chief executive officer—is now Malawi’s Minister of Finance, delinked from Economic Planning and Development.

Respected lawyer Dr Chikosa Silungwe is the new Attorney General while firebrand Dowa East legislator MCP director of youth Richard Chimwendo Banda is Minister of Homeland Security.

Chakwera has hired former principal secretary Zangazanga Chikhosi as the new Chief Secretary deputised by former Solicitor General and director of the Government Contracting Unit Janet Banda as Deputy Chief Secretary.

Former Farmers Union of Malawi chief executive officer Prince Kapondamgaga has become the new Chief of Staff at State Residences.

Meanwhile, Chakwera has said plans are at an advanced stage for his inauguration ceremony on July 6.

“I am working in partnership with the intergovernmental inauguration committee to make sure that this ceremony conveys the sense that a new dawn has risen on Malawi.

“This is all on top of hosting several dignitaries who have called on me to express their solidarity with our cause to free Malawians from poverty,” said Chakwera.

President Chakwera, 65, was elected by Malawians for a five-year term following court-sanctioned presidential election rerun on June 23.

Chakwera won with 58.57% of votes cast, beating the incumbent president Peter Mutharika, according to official results announced by the Malawi Electoral Commission Saturday night.