‘Goodall resignation not an issue’

Malawi Government says the resignation of Minister of Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe will not affect the country’s economic recovery plan (ERP) as “government programmes are not attached to individuals”.

Gondwe has resigned from his ministerial post following his arrest and treason charges in connection with a plot to circumvent constitutional order on power transfer soon after the death of the late president Bingu wa Mutharika in April last year.

In an interview on Friday, Gondwe said: “It’s true [that I have resigned]. The reason should be obvious to you.”

He said he submitted his resignation to the President, but presidential press secretary Steven Nhlane said he was not sure if the President had received the letter as she had been in meetings the whole afternoon.

“Her Excellency enjoyed working with Honourable Goodall Gondwe, but under the circumstances where he has resigned on his own, there is nothing that she can do.”

Minister of Information Moses Kunkuyu, who also said he had not yet received information about Gondwe’s resignation, said the development will not affect implementation of the economic recovery plan (ERP).

“In an event that the minister leaves, we still believe that programmes [in that ministry] can go on under collective responsibility at Cabinet which also scales down to officials at the ministry.

“Every government programme is not attributed to an individual even if the programme may have been initiated by an individual. The programmes are shared and owned by government,” said Kunkuyu.

Gondwe was arrested on Monday together with acting DPP president Peter Mutharika, nine ex-ministers and top government officials including the then Chief Secretary to the Government Bright Msaka, who has since been replaced by Hawa Ndilowe.