/ 11 May 2007

Malawian president picks largest Cabinet in reshuffle

Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika, who has pledged to bring economic stability to the impoverished nation, announced a Cabinet reshuffle on Thursday.

The president, who is already Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, added the Education Ministry to his portfolio, created two new ministries and appointed 11 lawmakers as deputies, chief secretary to the government Bright Msaka said in a statement.

Included in Mutharika’s Cabinet was embattled Vice-President Cassim Chilumpha, who is on bail waiting to answer charges of treason. Msaka said the vice-president’s responsibilities will be ”determined by the president”.

Chilumpha, a running mate to Mutharika in the 2004 presidential elections, is virtually under house arrest and does not perform any official functions.

Mutharika, who does not give explanations when he fires ministers, maintained his close friends in the Cabinet, but dropped Sports and Culture Minister Jafalie Mussa and Constitutional Affairs Minister Bazuka Mhango.

He created the posts of presidential and parliamentary affairs and appointed lawmaker — and one of the country’s popstars — Billy Kaunda, has been appointed Deputy Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture.

The president, who succeeded Bakili Muluzi in 2004, has pledged to bring economic stability to develop the Southern African nation, one of the world’s poorest countries, with an annual per capita income of $210.

About 65% of Malawi’s 12-million people still live below the poverty line.

Muluzi created the country’s biggest Cabinet since independence from Britain in 1964 in 2003 when he picked 46 members, all of them loyalists from his then ruling party.

The size of a Cabinet in Malawi is often a sensitive issue because of the extravagant lifestyles of ministers. – Sapa-AFP