Minister Mtambo faulted for appointing ‘cadet’ as personal assistant

The Minister of Civic Education and National Unity,  Timothy Mtambo, has been criticised  by some people including members of his Citizens for Transformation political movement on appointing a one-time firebrand Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) operative Lyson Sibande, as his personal assistant.

In his posts on the social media prior to the commencement and during the Presidential Elections Case, Sibande mocked and ridiculed the then opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader Lazarus Chakwera and his UTM counterpart, Saulos Chilima, for what he described as ‘some signs of desperation’ for seeking justice in the flawed May 21 2019 presidential election.

On 25 May 2019, Sibande challenged that Chilima would get no more than 500, 000 if Malawians were to vote again.

“That I can guarantee. Chilima never knows what’s good for him. He has very poor political judgment and so are his advisors and his followers,” he ranted.

And in his post for January 28 2020, the fanatic Facebook user stated: “Some people still ask me if I still by my previous position about the outcome of the election case at the Constitutional Court. Let me say it strongly that my prediction remains the same. There will not be nullification of results and please, keep this screenshot and do me the favour of showing me after the Court’s ruling is made. Let me also remind us to keep and protect property and lives”.

In an another text posted on Facebook on March 24 2020, Sibande branded Chakwera, Chilima and Mtambo (then in the Human Rights Defenders Coalition) as ‘desperate politicians’ for calling on people working for the private sector and civil service to boycott work to force the former Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah to resign.

He challenged that the action the opposition had taken was a non-starter.

“Imeneyo mwafoyila. You mean all those parties in the opposition alliance had no one to think straight kuti imeneyo njosagwira? Don’t act too desperate please!” he said.

On November 8 2019, Sibande challenged that the ConCourt would never nullify the election.

“Let me say what I told you. Sadly, there will never be a rerun no matter what. Don’t get to excited and too expectant. Where there is no excitement and expectations, there are neither disappointments nor heartaches. Remember to take a screenshot,” he said.

But it would appear Sibande read the situation and made a calculated move immediately after the Courts had annulled the election.

He quickly moved out of the DPP and endeared himself with the Citizens For Transformation (CFT) where its Commander-In-Chief Mtambo spotted him.

Mtambo has gone further to reward Sibande with a personal assistant  position.

Young people  on the CFT and Tonse Alliance WhatsApp forums have reacted angrily to the appointment of Sibande, with others warning Mtambo that he risks suffering ‘the worst betrayal in the hands of this Judas Iscariot’.

Sibande’s appointment has also left one of the editors at Times Media Group, Madalitso Musa, with more questions than answers.

Musa says his heart bleeds to hear that Mtambo has appointed Sibande as his personal assistant.

“This Lyson Sibande guy has been an irritating DPP cadet all along. He resisted regime change with religious blindness, regimental brain and attacked those on the other side of the political divide with calculated effrontery. He is a man who proudly and arrogantly defended the corrupt, murderous and heartless DPP regime. And to hear that he has been made personal assistant to Comrade Timothy Pagonachi Mtambo, my heart bleeds. Gutted,” laments Musa.