Mutharika strips Malawi VP Chilima ministerial role: Functions of Dodma moved to OPC
President Peter Mutharika has stripped Vice President Saulos Chilima of the role of Minister of Disaster Management Affairs following a recent fallout between the two and now all the tasks the latter had been empowered to oversee are removed.
Chief Secretary to the Government Lloyd Muhara said in a statement made available to Nyasa Times that President Mutharika “in exerices of powers conferred upon him by the Constitution has directed that with immediate effect, the functions of the Department of Disaster Management Affars and National Public Events be under the Office of the President and Cabinet.”
Ironically the decision was announced on July 6 the day Malawi was celebrating 54 years of political independence from the British.
It was also just a day after Chilima put his hat in the ring to challenge Mutharika in next year’s presidential race.
The President has suffered a more reputation damage recently after the media reported on leaked Anti Corruptio Bureau (ACB) investigations report which suggested that he benefitted from a suppLy food rations to the police service with a K145 million – enough money to fund a ministry for a year or build 15 health centres or enough to settle arrears for teachers on the brink of a national strike.
But reacting to the firing of his Vice President as Minister of DoDMA, Malawians took to social media to condemn this.
“This is not punishing Chilima but Malawians. DoDMA had been revamped under Chilima and now we are back to square one,” wrote Jones Kalichero on Facebook.
“When shall we grow up as a country? He has a right to vy for the presidency without victimisation,” tweeted one.
However many said this was predictable, saying victimising Vice Presidents and pomposity are the DNA of the governing Democrtaic Progressive Party (DPP).
The party did the same to its previous Vice President Joyce Banda and Dr. Cassim Chilumpha. And as many have observed it is doubtful that DoDMA, in Office of President now, will remain revamped and vibrant as has has been under Chilima if what happened to public reforms is anything to go by.
In 2017 the party stripped Chilima of his role as Chairman of Reforms on the basis that he was becoming more popular as a performer.
However, reacting to his recent dismissal as DoDMA Minister – Chilima was more respectful in his response through his media aide Pilirani Phiri.
“It is the prerogative of His Excellency the Pesident to assign and reassign ministries and departments. The Vice President is thankful for the opportunity to have served Malawians in that capacity as Minister of Disaster Management Affairs”.
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Dziko ili limafunika wodekha. Chilima could have been a president akadafatsa mu Dpp umu. Amene akuti mudalayu ndi yomwe awonetsa chilima ku maso kwa anthu lero nkumati nsiokalamba munali kuti nthawi yomwe akatsankha Chilima Peter, anthu akhungu inu. We have to appreciate Peter anasankha Atupere kukhala nduna, ndikuzatsankhanso Chilima kukhala Vice President. Lero anamidzidwa nkumati Peter ndi olakwa. Bozatu ili. Bambo ako ndi Bambo ako, musamupangitse kuti chilima atukwane Peter. Popanda Peter bwenzi zina la Chilima mukulinunkha pano ?
Achinyamata sadawonetsere utsogoleri wawo, atupere pamodzi ndi Chilima. What I can see ndi zoti onse awiri ali ndi Njala ya udindo yet they could not demonstrate it at highest level. We need to brief/educate our fellow youth. Timaganiza kuti mwina atsewera yobeba kaya!!
The issue is that people like politics of sympathy and Chilima is no exception. He should know that we still relate him with DPP. For many years he remained silent watching evils, idlosing mutharika as evil prevailed over good. He is hiding behind a mask but this guys has done a lot of bad things with APM. Yes we need change but certainly that will not come from you! After all what change do we expect from Kaliyati, Masangwi and Ngumuya? What change do we expect from Mr Speaker Sir? It would have been change if the leading was entirely new!
Ndiwolotse ndi kudye.When he was assisting them to rig elections he knew what he was doing. This is what you get for associating with the Devil.Jamming phones ,hacking into Mec System, burning polling centres.Kuchingale trying to infiltrate MEC in the. Mchinji bye elections…. all point to someone who can do anything to get power.
Why is this called stripping of? this man has resigned from the party which means the party has now got to find a replacement. Isn’t that all that’s happening? WHY DO WE LIKE TO EXAGGERATE THINGS? NOW WE ARE GOING TO SPEND HOURS DEBATING HOW RIGHT OR WRING APM WAS AND YET WE NEED TO BE USING THAT DISCUSSING HOW TO IMPROVE OUR COUNTRY? SAULOS HAS LEFT AND LEAVE HIM A LONE
The official on VP needs to be removed on next general election..as presidents fight VP always to the disadvantage of the country
I sometimes wonder why we Malawians are so shallow minded. It appears people regard Chilima as a saint. Look, the guy rigged the votes for Mutharika under the arrangement that he would take over in 2019. Mutharika wamgwiritsa pfuwa la moto and he reigns. This Chilima has no interest of Malawians at heart. If he did he would not have rigged the votes for these mbava currently in government. Now he acts as if he has clean hands, get lost!
The movement team has the Internally Displaced Politicians leading the pack is Saulosi K Chilima no one sees any coherent approach to matters that need hard hitting punch so as to carry the nation with you. What groundwork have the IDPs laid out for all to read in a loud voice? There isn’t any defining hanger to their quest to the 2019 presidency,vagaries tend to dominate the market Zodiak has been able to surface the simmering heat towards Chilima’s removal from the cabinet. Now done how the IDPs sharpen their strategic knives? After all the die is cast one can pick your heads above the waves from afar the IDPs are either fodder for DPP propaganda or floating carcasses on high seas of debauchery we need to a clear message below the cacophony
But the VP has said government is corrupt and Nepostic. Do all of you guys see Saulos attending a cabinet meeting when the President calls for one. Has he even gone to any function where the president is ever since his presser on June 6? So why blame APM when Saulosi is the one who has isolated himself. Let’s just wait for another cardiac arrest since he is still VP.
Chilima should learn to smile. Malawians were tired of the Kamuzu serious face and opted for Mr Jokes, who has ruled till now under the UDF-DPP names.
That’s true! Serious people like this man are hard to gain trust! You just know they are mafia like leaders who cannot even trust those around them. Chilima is not himself; he cannot express himself right! He does not laugh most often! He was told seriousness rules!!! He was misled.
Mutharika is right to kick Chilima out of cabinet. He has constitutional powers to do so.
Inenso ndikugwilizana ndi amene akuti u vp sukuthandiza. Vuto ndiloti mabebewa amafuna kuoneka ngati angwiro kuiwala kuti ikaola imomdzi zonse mudengumo nzoola. sizitheka kuola imodzi yokha. That’s the concept. Kulungama kulipati apapa akugulitsa nyumba mamilioni ambiri mbiri kwa ma cashgaters pamene sadadye nao za cashgate? Pano malipiro amwezi wa June, 2018 walandira sanabweze chikhalireni munthu sakugwira ntchito. Ine ndikuona kuti Abebewa adzichotsa okha ntchito by “Constructive resignation’ or ‘absconding duties”. KkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkNdangodutsamo ine.
Maganizo obwelera mmbuyo amenewa. Mbanja mumayha kukhala anthu abwinobwino koma mmodzi kukhala omva zayekha. Mzipani muli mavuto osiyana siyana komanso muli anthu ovuta mosiyana siyana koma that doesnt mean kuti aliyense muchipanicho ndioyipa ayi.
The VP has rebuked corruption in government. If there is anyone with anything vindictive if his complicity to corruption, just come in the open and tell the nation.
Ma Cashgaters mukunenawo ndalama zawo amagulira zinthu zosiyana siyana zina kuperekanso mmipingo are u saying kuti onsewo anaba nawo ??? The VP must have invested millions in that house so you wanted him to sell it for 2 Tambala??
Lets be serious.
Kufoka maganizo ndiye kumeneko. Ine ndanena maganizo kaya ndi anzeru kaya opanda nzeru ndimaganizo anga pazimene saulo adanena pazodiak kuti alindindalama zimene adatenga kwa cashgater nawe kambazako. Ndiye demokalaseyo. Demokalase sititsekana pakamwa mwatani kodi. Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
It’s obvious, isn’t it. I didn’t expect him to be part of the cabinet team after all negative comments about APM and his DPP. He still remains the State VP, though.
This move by APM is absolutely legal and logical politically and even personally. If he could, APM would even cut the Chilima’s umbilical cord, so that he (Chilima) suffocates real quick.
Even if he’s as naive as progressives think, he must have seen this coming. And, if it wasn’t for the law, he wouldn’t even have VP protocol. Maybe we should change the law to enable the President to hire and fire: what is the use of having a VP, on a hefty salary, who cannot functionally contribute to the governing Party?
I agree. Chilima left cabinet long time ago. He can’t serve the government he is criticising.
i thought a mad man was APM alone. now i know you are many!
Contributing to the governing party?
LoL!! Your analogy of suffocating Chilima by cutting his umbilical cord just confirms what is already public secret. That is, DPP NOTION of political survival which is LOOTING of state resources, otherwise you WILT like a rose flower in the desert’.
Maganizo a uMBAVA enieni. Are we still surprised about the K145m policegate?
Shame!!!
A little disappointed with the ignorance shown by some here. We the people of Malawi own the constitution. We should not allow any president to amend the constitution to get rid of people they don’t like. In the same way we should not allow legislators to amend the constitution to get rid of a president they don’t like.
Mawu a Mbewe mwaoneka kuti mkalasi munapitamo ndithu osati ena angokamba za copied and pasted wa
But a ministerial position Sir is the presidents appointment! If that president is very sure that his minster is not perfoming for what ever reason the president has constitutional powers to terminate that appointment. who is really ignorant here?
I am surprised that Peter hasn’t proposed an amended to the constitution of the land and then to revoew the DPP one, to allow a sitti g president to fire a running mate when they deem fit.
I don’t get the impression that he has dismissed his VP. I understand that he has stripped his VP of a ministerial position. I can’t see how a man who has got himself out of a Government so publicly can still be allowed to function in the same government???
I really wonder why pro Chilima guys think it is appropriate for Chilima to remain in cabinet. He can longer promote DPP manifesto and as clean as he pretends, then he is not expected to associate with the very same pipo he is accusing of mass corruption.
Kkkkkkkkk let him please himself eya eya eya aaaaaaa go go go APM!!
this was expected. I am surprised why Chilima wants to remain VP with all this windfall? But then as Malawians let’s avoid idolizing Chilima as if he is any hero. He has failed Malawians in many ways. He joined DPP at the time when the party has dehuminsed everyone. He wholeheartedly praised the Party! He worked mutharika all along against what the majority wanted. I was this man to be led by conscious whether he has shown love for the county another gymic of power hungry!!!!
Which majority??????
We saw this coming given the chronic stupidity of our politics. Who cares anyway, he can as well give the role to Wa Jeffrey or Uladi to sink this stinking country even further
Santana your coment please!
We all you knew that was coming, nothing surprising here, but if you try anything sinister on his life, Malawi will be on FIRE!!!
Malawi will never be on fire. It is stupid cowards like you who will run into hiding first. You want to burn your own village because of a beer selling idiot Vice President?
Malawi presidents and their vices. Malawi should just abolish the office of the vice-president – a waste of resources when in all post-authoritarian rule of Kamuzu Banda, presidents have had a rift with the vices.
pokutha ukwati ndi choncho palibe kuphelana nkhuku
Thiss issue about Chilima and APM should not surprise us. I know these bosses are playing politics. Soon we will see them eating mapwevupwevu together. Don’t take them seriously!
Chilima cannot serve in the cabinet anymore. It’s just a fact. Mutharika picked Chilima out of goodwill but he has turned out to be a backstabber.
Don’t blame him. He has been too patient with this young man.
I thought being lead by a professor (so they say), who spent so many years in the USA a developed nation, advanced in age would usher us into civilised politics – koma ayi tere, kubetsa basi.
I AM SAD FOR THE LACK OF UNDEMOCRATIC TENDENCIES WITHIN GOVERNMENT.WHY DO THIS WHEN THE VP JUST EXERCISED HIS DEMOCRATIC RIGHT? SOUR GRAPES-BABAAAAA!MULIRA CHINGANGADZA! SIMUNATI POTI!!!!1
And APM has just expressed his democratic right of hiring and firing cabinet position holder
So it means the VP will just be getting his salary with no work? Sha!
The act is not the DNA of the DPP. JB did the same to Rt. Hon Kachali. Chakwera, even before becoming the president of course he will never become one, has already done the same to Msowoya. This only shows the irrelevance of deputies in modern Management theory.