President Banda dumps DPP top brass

The Malawi president has on her 20th day in office hired her maiden cabinet which has a mixed breed of politicians but without the then ruling Democratic progressive party’s summit.

The top brass of acting DPP president professor Peter Mutharika, vice party presidents Goodal Gondwe, Yunusu Mussa and Dr. Jean Kalilani, respectively, have been left in the cold, despite some publically inclining themselves to the state president’s party.

In the cabinet, as state president, Her Excellency Mrs. Joyce Banda automatically becomes the commander-in-chief of the defense forces and the police services.

In the released cabinet monitored on the state radio, the state president who also heads the public service will also take charge of the national relief and disaster management, plus the nutrition and HIV/aids management.

The state vice president, right honorable Khumbo Hastings Kachale combines the portfolio of health, which was previously headed by Dr. Kalilani.

President Mrs. Joyce Banda has maintained Dr. Ken Lipenga as the country's minister of finance though he does not come from the financial or economic sector back ground. At the time of the cabinet reshufflr, Dr. ken Lipenda was away in Washington on an official visit.

Dr. Lipenga will be deputized by Mangochi-Monkey Bay parliamentarian and former deputy health minister Ralph Pacharo Jooma.

Former justice minister Ephraim Mganda Chiume has replaced Peter Mutharika at the foreign affairs and international cooperation ministry where new comer Rachel Zulu Mazongwe, a Malawi congress party parliamentarian, will be his deputy.

Eunice Kazembe has bounced back, this time at the Education, science and technology ministry, where Chikumbutso John Hiwa, another new blood on the block deputizes. Dr. George Chaponda was the minister in the past government.

Former state vice president to the two first presidents in the democratic Malawi (Bakili Muluzi and late Bingu wa Mutharika) , the right honorable Dr. Cassim Chilumpha has been entrusted to take charge of the troubled energy and mining ministry which one time finance minister star performer Goodal Gondwe struggled to make it tick.

Thyolo north parliamentarian Anita Kalinde has been bestowed with the gender and child welfare ministry.

She will be deputized by Zomba parliamentarian Jennifer Debora Chilunga.

Atupele Muluzi, United Democratic Front 2014 presidential aspirant and son to the retired Malawi head of state Bakili Muluzi has been secured to take charge of the economic planning and development ministry, with Aford's Khwauli Msiska as his deputy.

Revered lawyer Ralph Kasambara, who once served as an Attorney General in the Bingu wa Mutharika government, is the country’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General. He is the presiednt of Congres for democracy but not a member of parliament.

Professor Peter Nelson Mwanza has not only survived the chop but also maintains his agriculture and food security ministry, which of course has been detached of the water development and irrigation and thrown to Ritchie Bizwick Muheya.

Professor Mwanza will be deputized by Ulemu Jermoth Chilapondwa.

Following into the same lucky basket is Sidik Mohammed Mia who still is in the transport and public works ministry and new comer Sosten Gwengwe becoming his deputy.

Grace Maseko, who the DPP fired because of her link to Banda’s PP, has been rewarded with a ministerial post of Local government and rural development, which Henry Mussa previously occupied.

Another survivor from DPP last cabinet is John Francis Bande who still maintains the industry and trade ministry.

PP’s new catch Henry Duncan Phoya is the lands and housing minister. Phoya was expelled from the DPP for his stand against repressive laws while he was within in the DPP.

He recently joined the main opposition Malawi congress party, and it is only thursday April 26 2012 mid day when news came out that Phoya has joined PP.

Another PP’s new big fish Uladi Mussa, founding president of Maravi party, replaces Blantyre-Malabada parliamentarian Aaron Sangala.

Axed former minister of finance in the DPP government who introduced the zero-deficit budget in Malawi has been hired as defense minister.

Daniel Liwimbi stays put at the tourism and culture ministry while Eunice Makangala replaces Dr. Lucius Kanyumba at the labour ministry.

Augustine Mtendere is the deputy labour minister.

Mrs. Catherine Gotani Hara, who first came out on the air to reveal about the clandestine meetings that some ministers in DPP were convening in an attempt of raping the Malawi constitution to sideline the then state vice president to pick the mantle of the presidency, is the environment and climate change management minister.

She has Mangochi UDF parliamentarian Ibrahim Matola as her deputy.

Aford’s Enock Chihana, son to revered late politician Chakufwa Thom Chihana, replaces Simon Vuwa Kaunda as minister of youth and sports while former gender, child development and community development minister Reen Kachere has gone back to the reintroduced disabilities and elderly affairs ministry.

First Banda’s ministerial appointee, Moses Kunkuyu still heads the information ministry. He replaced Patricia Kaliati.

Her Excelllency Mrs. Joyce Banda was sworn in as Malawi leader on April 7 2012 following the death of Bingu wa Mutharika.