Malawi’s New Leader Mutharika Names Key Ministers

Local Editor

Malawi's newly-elected President Peter Mutharika on Thursday named half of his 20-member cabinet, nearly a month after the chaotic elections that brought him to office.

Mutharika, who two weeks ago tapped former finance minister Goodall Gondwe to resume his position, has brought back several other old faces, including Henry Mussa as labor minister and Jean Kalilani to take care of health.

In a pre-dawn announcement, the president picked another former minister, George Chaponda, to man the ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation.

The four once served as ministers in the 2004 and 2009 cabinets of Mutharika's sibling, Bingu wa Mutharika, who died in office in 2012.

The ministers will be sworn in on Thursday morning.

Mutharika had come under growing criticism over the delay in appointing his cabinet.

A presidential spokesman, Justice Mponda, stated that the rest of the 20-member cabinet will be announced at the weekend.

Mutharika has pledged a slimmer cabinet in a bid to cut costs in the impoverished southern African nation, which depends heavily on donor inflows to keep the agriculture-powered economy afloat.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team