Mid Week Review: Peter’s new appointments

Following the hiring of a full Cabinet by President Peter Mutharika on Monday, the size of the Cabinet, including the President, Vice-President and deputy ministers, now stands at 20.

On Monday the President also appointed the seven-member Civil Service and Public Service Reform Commissionwhose members include the Reverend Howard Matiya Nkhoma, former general secretary of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Synod of Livingstonia; business mogul Thom Mpinganjira, group managing director of FDH Financial Holdings; Bright Mangulama, former director in the Office of the Director of Public Procurement (ODPP).

Socio-legal activist Seodi White, Krishna Savjani of Savjani & Co who is also a senior partner for Sacranie, Gow & Co and Evelyn Mwapasa, chief executive officer for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Malawi (Icam) are also in the commission.

On Tuesday Mutharika fired and hired more officials.

New Chief Secretary

Chief Secretary to the Government Hawa Ndilowe was sacked and been posted to Tanzania as High Commissioner.

This development means that Ndilowe has been effectively removed from a position she held since March 2013 when former president Joyce Banda appointed her as the first female chief secretary.

It is not yet known who will replace Ndilowe, but Capital Hill sources indicated that former deputy chief secretary Necton Mhura is set to take up the post.

Mhura, alongside Mutharika and other former ministers in the government of the late Bingu wa Mutharika, were facing charges of treason until they were dropped after assuming office through victory in the May 20 Tripartite Elections.

Odillo dismissed

The President has also replaced Army Commander General Henry Odillo with Major General Atanasio Maulana. Odillocame into the limelight in April 2012 for preventing an alleged coup when Bingu died.

Maulana comes in at a time when the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) is embroiled in alleged acts of theft of billions of public resources.

Maulana, who was chief of military operations, will be deputised by Brigadier Griffin Supuni who has replaced John Msonthi.

Press Secretaries

Earlier, government announced that Mutharika has hired Malawi News editor Frederick Ndala as presidential press secretary.

In a statement made available to The Nation, the State House Press Office said Ndala will be deputised by Timpuza Mwansambo who, until his appointment, was Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) television Northern Region manager.

Meanwhile, Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS) award-winning journalist Pilirani Phiri has been appointed Special Assistant (Media and Public Relations) for Vice-President Saulos Chilima.

AG and Chief Economic Advisor

Mutharika has also appointed former Malawi Economic Justivce Network (Mejn) and Afrodad executive director Collins Magalasi as his chief economic advisor.

While former Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) executive director Alex Nampota is the new Attorney General, replacing Anthony Kamanga whose contract expired.

The AG’s office automatically fell vacant after Kamanga’s term technically came to an end following the defeat of former president
Joyce Banda in the May 20 Tripartite Elections.

According to Section 98(4) of the republican constitution, “the office of Attorney General shall, where it is held by a person employed in the public service, become vacant after the person holding that office has served for five years, or in his or her resignation or retirement or up to the end of the president’s term of office, whichever is sooner.”

Nampota was fired as ACB boss in 2012 by president Banda when she had just ascended to power following death of her predecessor Bingu Wa Mutharika.