Maulana suffers embarrassing demotion : Analysts fault Malawi President Mutharika for redeploying army chief

Malawi Defence Forces (MDF) Commander General Ignacious Maulana has been asked by President Peter Mutharika to take an embarrassing demotion but pushing him to head the security section of the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) until he attains the mandatory retirement age of 60 next year.

Muthalika fired Maulana and replaced his  his former deputy Griffin Supuni-Phiri.

Phiri will be deputised by Lieutenant General Clement Namangale (administration) and Lieutenant General Vincent Nundwe (operations).

A political commentator at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College, Dr BonifaceDulani, described the redeployment of Maulana as a humiliating demotion.

“For me , there is no doubt that this is a demotion, you don’ move from being a commander (Malawi Defence Force) to be someone just focusing on security at NFRA,” Dulani commented in the flagship Malawi newspaper, Daily Times.

Dulani said Mutharika should have explained his decision for moving Maulana, saying  such appointments “cannot just be made anyhow”.

Dulani  also spoke on the need to reduce powers conferred on the country’s Head of State.

“You have the whole President who can make decision without explaining anything to the wider public as to why he has made that decision,” said Dulani.

He said President Mutharika should explain his decision to demote Maulana, saying citizens “need to know and also scrutinise whether we are convinced with his decision or not.”

Government spokesperson Patricia Kaliati palyed down Maulana’s firing, saying it is normal.

Dean of law at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College Mwiza Nkhata  also agree that President has too much power which need trimming.

The civil society and opposition have also been calling to reduce concentration of power in the presidency, especially as it relates to the appointment and removal of heads of governance institutions and parastatals.

They want the country to  reduce the powers of the presidency to enhance the effectiveness of institutions such as Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) and National Audit Office.