Michael Usi
* Replaced by Owen Chomanika as Minister of Natural Resources & Climate Change
* Ezekiel Peter Ching’oma replaces Zikhale Ng’oma as Minister of Homeland Security
* Zikhale Ng’oma given portfolio of Minister of Mining as Jessie Kabwila is in as Minister of Higher Education
* Top Ministry’s of Finance, Energy, Agriculture, Justice, Foreign Affairs maintained
By Duncan Mlanjira
President Lazarus Chakwera, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 94(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi, has reshuffled his Cabinet Ministers in which Vice-President Michael Usi has been appointed as Minister of State for Public Service Delivery from his previous post as Minister of Natural Resources & Climate Change.
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Owen Chomanika has since replaced Usi as Minister of Natural Resources & Climate Change while Ezekiel Peter Ching’oma replaces Ken Zikhale Ng’oma as Minister of Homeland Security.
Zikhale Ng’oma has been given portfolio of Minister of Mining while Jessie Kabwila is in as Minister of Higher Education.
Top portfolios that have been maintained include of Finance & Economic Affairs, held by Simplex Chithyola Banda, Energy (Ibrahim Matola), Agriculture (Sam Kawale), Justice (Titus Mvalo), Foreign Affairs (Nancy Tembo), Health (Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda) and Local Government, Unity & Culture (Richard Chimwendo Banda).
Finance Minister Chithyola Banda
Energy Minister Matola
Agriculture Minister Sam Kawale
Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda
Jean Muonaowauza Sendeza is Minister of Gender; Monica Chang’anamuno (Defence); Vera Kamtukule (Tourism-retained); Abida Sidik Mia (Water & Sanitation-retained); Moses Kunkuyu (Information & Digitalisation-retained); Jacob Hara (Transport & Public Works-retained); Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima (Basic & Secondary Education); DeusGumba (Lands).
Uchizi Mkandawire has also maintained the portfolio of Minister of Youth and Sports while Eng. Vitumbiko Augeans Zasamula Mumba is Minister of Labour.
Deputy Ministers are Joyce Chitsulo (Local Government, Unity & Culture); Noah Chimpeni (Health); Peter Dimba (Transport & Public Works); Benedicto Kaluwa-AdweII Chambo (Agriculture); Patricia Nangozo-Kainga (Foreign Affairs); Halima Alima Daud (Gender); Liana Chapota Munthali (Water & Sanitation), who replaces Liana Kakhobwe Chapota.
Weather update
According to the communique from Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Colleen Zamba, today (January 1, 2025), the appointments are with immediate effect.
Meanwhile, it is yet to be seen — ahead of the 2025 General Elections — if Michael Usi would continue to abuse his office as Vice-President to use his official State Residences as platforms for his political agenda in his personal feud with opposition party, UTM.
The UTM fired Usi as its member and reasons given to expel its former interim leader, Michael Usi included provoking divisions within the Party and mobilising UTM supporters to attend government functions while wearing UTM regalia and displaying Party symbols.
The political rally held at state residence
This, according to the UTM Party, is Usi’s “violation of the UTM Constitution through conduct that has undermined the unity and integrity of the Party”.
Usi was first invited to a disciplinary hearing but he snubbed it, indicating to the Party, through his legal counsel that he did not recognise the authority of the disciplinary process.
On Sunday, December 29, Usi still mobilised some alleged UTM Party members, who were dressed in UTM and displaying Party symbols at Mudi Residence, State home for the country’s Vice-President — where he publicly announced that he was not going to appear before the disciplinary hearing, alleging that the current UTM leadership was elected unconstitutionally.
Meeting held in October at State Residence in Lilongwe
In October, Usi also addressed a gathering of alleged UTM women supporters dressed in party regalia at his official State Residence in Area 12, Lilongwe, which was prior to the UTM convention.
He indicated that he was not going to compete at the convention that took place on November 17 in Mzuzu, whose post of president was won by Dalitso Kabambe in a landslide victory.
In an open letter — entitled: ‘Deep concerns around lack of prioritisation of your delegated functions and adherence to the principles of good governance’ — Don Consultancy Group (DCG) Chief Economist, Chifipa Mhango censured Usi for the use of the State Residence property to advance his political agenda.
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Mhango wrote: “Mr Vice-President, I note and respect your views on the differences with your United Transformation Movement Party as expressed in your speech to the ‘Political Party rally’ held at Mudi State House few days ago.
“Historical picture of past Malawi Governments since Multiparty Democracy in 1994, based on observations, is saying that you are the first Vice-President to be utilising State Residence property as platforms to be holding mega political party rallies, which is contrary to the principles of good governance.”
Mhango’s observation on the conduct of the Vice-President was made on New Year’s Eve, hours before the UTM expelled him that also accused the former interim president of supporting a rival political party.
Late Chilima with Usi he made as UTM running mate in 2019
Usi took over as UTM interim leader following the tragic death of the Party’s founder, former Vice-President, late Saulos Chilima in the June 10 plane crash, and in line with the agreement of the Tonse Alliance, President Lazarus Chakwera replaced the distinguished late Saulos Chilima with Usi.
But the UTM severed the Tonse Alliance due to reasons that the Party described as unfulfilled MoU agreement — thus describing the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) as “a rival political party”.
In the expulsion letter signed by UTM’s national publicity secretary, Felix Njawala, says during voter registration whistle-stops in Mwanza District, “Usi publicly endorsed the MCP government by using its slogan, ‘Boma ndi lomweli’ — thereby violating Article 22(8)(k) of the UTM Constitution, which prohibits supporting or joining political organisations not in alliance with UTM”.
