President Chakwera
* Appointments with effect January 31, 2023
By Duncan Mlanjira
President Lazarus Chakwera has named his 27-member Cabinet of Ministers and notably missing are Patricia Kaliati, Gospel Kazako, Eisenhower Mkaka, John Bande, Timothy Mtambo and Mark Katsonga-Phiri while Vice-President Saulos Chilima has not been entrusted with any portfolio.
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Kazako has been replaced by Moses Kumkuyu as Minister of Information; Bande by Liana Kakhobwe Chapota as Deputy Minister of Water & Sanitation and Katsonga by Simplex Chithyola for Trade & Industry while Jean Sendeza takes over from Kaliati as Minister of Gender.
Kaliati
Kazako
Katsonga-Phiri
Mkaka has been replaced as Natural Resources Minister by Michael Usi from Tourism to a merged Natural Resources & Climate Change with Mtambo being dropped as National Unity Minister and replaced by Richard Chimwendo Banda in what has been merged as Local Government, Unity & Culture while Agnes Nyalonje has been moved from Education to Labour.
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Those who have retained their portfolios are Sosten Gwengwe (Finance & Economic Affairs); Nancy Tembo (Foreign Affairs); Sam Kawale (Agriculture); Titus Mvalo (Justice); Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda (Health); Jacob Hara (Transport & Public Works); Ibrahim Matola (Energy) and Abida Mia (Water & Sanitation).
Harry Mkandawire is now Minister of Defence; Ken Zikhale Ng’oma (Homeland Security); Uchizi Mkandawire (Youth & Sports); Madalitso Wirima Kambauwa (Education); Monica Chang’anamuno (Mining); Vera Kamtukule (Tourism) and Deus Gumba (Lands).
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Deputy Ministers are Owen Chomanika (Local Government, Unity & Culture; Halima Alima Daud (Health) and Nancy Chaola Mdooko (Education).
The President, who is Commander-in-Chief of the Malawi Defence Force, will not be holding a ministerial portfolio just as the Vice-President, Saulos Chilima.
Secretary to the President & Cabinet, Colleen Zamba said the appointments — done in exercise of the powers conferred upon the Head of State by Section 94(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi — are with effect from January 31, 2023.
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