Mutharika rejects having stunted mind: Blasts cabinet critics , says DPP cronies to maintain strategic positions

Malawi President Peter Mutharika has said he will continue appointing ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) cronies in his slim 20 member cabinet, saying they never left the party in its difficult times.

President Mutharika has maintained his “inner circle” and DPP big wigs in strategic positions
President Mutharika has maintained his “inner circle” and DPP big wigs in strategic positions after cabinet reshuffle
Sea of crowds at Mutharika's DPP rally in Nsanje
Sea of crowds at Mutharika’s DPP rally in Nsanje

Mutharika  was referring to the period between 2012 and 2014 when the party was out of power because of the sudden death of President Bingu wa Mutharika, the head of state’s elder brother and founder of the DPP.

“These people never left us when we were  in the desert during the difficult times,” said Mutharika likening the Biblical Israel suffering to the period DPP suffered a heavy blow after the death of Bingu, which led to an overnight exodus of DPP members to Joyce Banda’s Peoples Party after she was declared president of the Republic.

“I have heard and read, some of you are saying these are same old faces, this and that but you must understand that these people stood by me in the trying times,” said Mutharika.

Mutharika reshuffled his cabinet on Thursday afternoon sacking one senior minister, Allan Chiyembekeza, former Agriculture , moving around several others and drafted in one new face as deputy minister.

However he maintained his cabinet elite, those that were arrested with him in the infamous Midnight Six that include Henry Mussa, Jean Kalirani, Patricia Kaliati, Goodall Gondwe, Kondwani Nankhumwa and Bright Msaka.

The sixth, Nicholas Dausi is an untouchable director of National intelligence Bureau.

University of Malawi political scientist Boniface Dulani noted in the local press that the appointment is a departure from Mutharika’s earlier commitment to match expertise with ministerial appointments.

He said: “Now we have lawyers heading the Agriculture Ministry and engineers heading Foreign Affairs to give but two examples where expertise is mismatched.”

Mutharika dismissed the critique saying, “you should know that I don’t have a feeble mind, I can think for myself.”

The President said there were some people he did not mention that were pleading with him to be appointed ministers, saying he could not appoint them because they were not with him in political wilderness but only his DPP inner circle.

Mutharika, who seemed to have mastered the Chichewa language challenged the opposition that he would ensure they are in the opposition for the next 20 years.

“They seem to be enjoying their job as opposition because they oppose everything I say and do. They love their job as opposition members so I will ensure that they are in opposition for the next 20 years, after all this is the job they love,” said Mutharika.

He condemned the killings of the elderly, people with albinism and mob justice, saying those involved in the vice risk long jail terms.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
25 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Hoitty Totty
Hoitty Totty
7 years ago

You are doing a good job Peter. Continue working with all your cronies. Look at what you have achieved. Total failure and misery for Malawi. Keep them they will not leave you until you all together bring the country to its knees

Winston Msowoya
Winston Msowoya
7 years ago

Iam very thrilled to read the comments made by the commentators on the Chakuamba issue.Iam now beggining to see the light at the end of a long tunnel.What I used to encounter when reading through commentators’ attributions were ethnically motivated mud-slinging,hatrade,regionalism and egregious malice the list goes on.This was to the treacherous advantage to regionally dominated leadership.This was not progressive leadership,but rather precarious one in the sense that none of the national leaders stood up to reprobate the disasterous trends to morals.In fact many national leaders clandestinely bolstered the wicked dogma paving the clear road to “DIVIDE AND RULE DOGMA”.This… Read more »

Cash Gate
7 years ago

the highest qualification is just to be lolyaty, haaaaaa!!!, shame on you mr presdent.

Yoweri Magufuli
Yoweri Magufuli
7 years ago

Stupid Kangamire. Use african examples for african scenarios facts are correct though.
As read on Malawi encyclopedia Kangamire equals Getting stuck with Alien prestige despite your visible tattered habitat. Ur just like peter webster thom himself.

Gwedema
Gwedema
7 years ago

Kangamire Zowazowa or who ever mother *F** you are when did Muthalika ever make an educated decision? The guy is an absolute failure and a moron to say the least. It is because of stupid worp minded idiots like you that make these corrupt rotten bastards think they are doing a great job. Incidentally nobody elected Muthalika . He rigged the election see the video by Ligomeka you mother fuck!

Kangamire Zowazowa
Kangamire Zowazowa
7 years ago

Forgetaboutit – APM has mandate to pick the team he wants to work with and he knows that he will live and die by them. It is foolhardy to chose a guy and then expect him to ask you silly ninocoomps t suggest ot vet his cabinet. Nonsense Give a guy a break – will ya? Am in USA and if Agriculture doesn’t perform – nobody cares about who the secretary of agric is – we swoop on Obama or George Bush or Clinton or whoever the President is – that’s called accountability and fucking buck stops right here!!! You… Read more »

November Rain
November Rain
7 years ago

Could you not have communicated the message without being foul in your language?

Or you wanted to sound more American? Ha! Only ignorant blacks and people with no class do this! Sadly, the shame of a mad man dancing naked in the marketplace goes to his sane relatives? And you are a shame to the black community.

And who cares really about where you are? Why tell us that you are in America?

You are a complete idiot, aise!

Jali wa Jali
Jali wa Jali
7 years ago

We don’t mind having the same cabinet for five or more years, actually that is how it should be. If a CEO can work in a company for 10 years so why not minister.

Semani
Semani
7 years ago

DPP is in government coz of loyal people like muli and those who were arrested by Mama Joice, APM is President coz of the same people its a political game no capability no qualification just loyalty. If you have capability and qualification join them now and work hard, they will remember you when they get there again .

The Analyst
The Analyst
7 years ago

O…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….O The line that separates truth from a lie is so thin that the two become one, sometimes . . . . . . No one in his/her honest self can say these guys stood by APM through trying times as if they had other choices. Remaining DPP hence standing by APM (by default) was their Hobson’s choice. As such we shoudnt be loose with the facts here. Nanga . . . . . . what other choices did these guys have besides standing by APM? Could Dausi have re-joined MCP – the party he unceremoniously dumped claiming Bingu reminded… Read more »

PengaPenga
7 years ago

Oh? so its about loyalty not capabilities? Koma Pulezidenti uyu nde ndiowumadi mutu. Ndakhala Meiji machina kira chi Pitala (Petulosi) koma APA chandimvesa nasoni.

Read previous post:
Chakuamba recycles in DPP: Returns to frontline politics 

Malawi's veteran politician Gwanda Chakuamba who retired from frontline politics a couple of years ago has bounced back and expressed...

Close