League of advisors for Chakwera betrays reason and common sense
This week, President Lazarus Chakwera sexed up his list of advisors by appointing even more.
As of today, Chakwera has about 12 advisors. Former president Peter Mutharika had a team of seven advisers on political affairs, economic affairs, civil society, religion, domestic policy, parliamentary and national unity and on women affairs.
Among those appointed are Malawi Congress Party (MCP) campaign director Moses Kunkuyu as adviser on chiefs matters; Lilongwe North East legislator (MCP) Maxwell Thyolera as adviser on parliamentary affairs; and People’s Party (PP) vice-president (South) Ephraim Chibvunde as adviser on political affairs.
Earlier, the President appointed UTM Party campaign director Lucius Banda as adviser on arts and youth; former Association of People with Albinism coordinator Overstone Kondowe as adviser on disability and persons with albinism; the Reverend Brian Kamwendo as special adviser on religious affairs; Sheikh Hashim Abbas as deputy special adviser on religious affairs; Adamson Mkandawire as chief adviser on rural transformation and development; Dr Samson Lembani as chief adviser on public policy and governance; Chris Chaima Banda as chief adviser on strategy and manifesto implementation; and Collen Zamba as chief adviser on sustainable development goals and international relations.
To be honest, the move isn’t inspiring at all
It’s not inspiring because, one, the President doesn’t actually need these advisors and, two, where he needs one, it must be on specific emerging issues not covered by the Cabinet.
Let’s face facts here: The Cabinet is the president’s fundamental advisory council. Cabinet Ministers, through heading ministries, have technocrats who provide every policy direction with regards to how the country should be governed.
To mean, there is no information much better to help the President govern besides the one Cabinet Ministers get from their technocrats.
So what do these special advisors to the President do, really?
If you have a fully-fletched Ministry of Youth, what does the special advisor to the President do?
If you have a fully-fletched Ministry of Civic Education and National Unity, why should the president have a special advisor on religion?
It’s even shocking to learn that Chakwera has a special advisor on Christian affairs, and another special advisor on Muslim affairs. What is this?
We are not against special advisors. But we believe they are needed to fill specific avenues where the President needs privileged information he cannot acquire from the ministries.
Otherwise, the list of 12 we have seen and their duties, sounds more as Chakwera’s move to appease party loyalists he didn’t find anywhere to reward them.
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This president even needs 100 advisors. He already said that he does not know. We told you that Chakwera will be worst president and this country will not move forward. He owes a lot to people and he needs to reward them.
Vuto ndiloti pafupi fupi onse amene ali mu Tonse alliance sanapange political science. Ndye kuyendetsa kwake kukhala ngati zakudabwe. Komangosakhapo. Poti amapanga nao ma Demo tisawasiye.
Itseems lots of you guys it’s out of envy am so sorry you have along way to go mutopa
Nothing jealous here, your President is very very very very very very dull
Let’s be honest the President is daft. We wanted Chilima but this is what we have for now. Tilimbe mtima basi. Bulutuyi satithandiza
My brother, go research
The meaning of alliance.
In short , more are involved and the more a need to create a big shoe that fits all
I think it is never a bad idea to set up instruments in order to gain more knowledge and information, as well as perspectives in order to make the best decisions. All power to him!
what we want is good governance, every leader employ advisors, even in USA. THE PROBLEM IS ENVY, if president choose you the editor as adviser, would you refuse the offer?
Chakwela has no experience in running government so he is experimenting.
Well Chakwera is only human, he will make mistakes, maybe lots of them even, he still has a long way to go, let’s give him a chance, he is not perfect, and criticism is a good thing, I’m sure he’ll do better next time. Let’s continue providing checks and balances
As you rightly said Malawi is not a poor country but has always had idiots for presidents. I think it is high time we consider outsourcing this top position to capable non Malawians. Maybe we need to hire Magufuli or Kagame.