Mwanamvekha joins race for DPP veep post: Malawi ruling party convention gets exciting

Malawi’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will have a fierce contest on position of vice president for southern region where it is now a three horse race as  Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Joseph Mwanamvekha has expressed interest to run for the post.

Mwanamvekha has joined the fray to face  Minister of Local Government and Community Development Kondwani Nankhuwa as he also is challenging the current holder George Chaponda.

Chaponda, former minister of Agriculture is tainted with corruption image and many view him as an excess luggage for the DPP.

On the other hand,  Nankhumwa is deemed not clean either as he has “gosts in his cardboard”  will allegations at Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) and local councils to do with road and building construction.

However, Mwanamvekha joining the race will spice up the contest as he is seen as one of the ethical ministers in the President Peter Mutharika’s cabinet and with a worth of experience working in the corporate world.

He is also perceived as hardworking and results-oriented.

Recently, a telephone conversation purported to be between Cabinet minister Nankhumwa and the party’s secretary general (SG) Gressielder Jeffrey, it was claimed Mwanamveka refuses to bend  corners.

“I want to contest and help His Excellency President Prof Aurther Peter Mutharika to make the party more formidable and win the mandate of Malawians to continue governing beyond 2019,” he said when asked by Nyasa Times to confirm that he is contesting.

He further said “am aware of the challenges ahead but am prepared to meet them head-on. I am determined to get the position and I know it is possible with God’s help”.

Mwanamvekha  experience in government include serving as Secretary to the Treasury during the Bingu wa Mutharika reign, he was previously Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Malawi Savings Bank (MSB).

During his time as CEO for MSB, Mwanamvekha managed to transform the bank into one of the biggest banks on the Malawian market.

He also managed to open several new branches for the bank throughout Malawi, a clear testimony that MSB was doing well in the banking business.

The performance of the Bank reversed years after he left and when the CEO was Messrs Ian Bonongwe, who sold it.

Mwanamvekha has a Master of Arts Degree in Economics that he obtained in 1994.

He also has a Bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Malawi (1990) majoring in Economics.

Soon after graduating from the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College, Mwanamvekha joined the Reserve Bank of Malawi before moving on for greener pastures at the Finance Corporation of Malawi now Nedbank as Head of Treasury.

In 1998, Mwanamvekha moved on to become General Manager (Operations) at the then newly established Continental Discount House. He was later made the organisation’s Chief Executive Officer in 2002.

Two years later, Mwanamvekha was appointed Chief Executive Officer for the Malawi Savings Bank.

Mwanamvekha has other professional qualifications including an Advanced negotiations Diploma, Harvard University, Boston, USA; Leadership and Management Skills, University of Virginia, Darden, Virginia, USA; Leadership and Management Skills, Mandel Training Centre, Harare, Zimbabwe; Asset and Liability Management, Euro-money; Treasury Management, Citibank; Securities Trading, Intrados Group, Washington, D.C., USA; Advanced Money, Capital Markets and Foreign Exchange Management, Reuters International, Kenya; Computer Programming and Modeling, African Economic Research Consortium, Kenya and International Capital Markets, Egypt among many other professional qualifications.

He is a stable, trusted and one of the oldest NGC member of DPP. He is a hardworker, humble and unassuming.

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