Who will make it into Mutharika’s new Cabinet? Chaponda may bounce back

President Peter Mutharika has promised to maintain a lean cabinet of 20 members and that he will announce it before Parliament opens on June 21, saying he is meanwhile scrutinising resumes of different possible personnel to be considered for cabinet portfolios.

“I am currently working on the cabinet which will be a representative of all sections; men, women, the youth and the elderly.

“Before the National Budget Sitting of Parliament, we will have a new and functional cabinet comprising 20 members,” Mutharika said on Sunday during a victory rally he held at Njamba Freedom Party in Blantyre.

As Malawians are anxiously waiting to see who will be hired into the Cabinet of President Mutharika in his second term, journalist Felix Mponda writes on possibilities.

One thing for sure is that Vice President Everton Herbert Chimulirenji secured his seat in Cabinet when he was voted alongside Mutharika as the second in command of State House.

Another thing for sure is that APM is likely to maintain a lean cabinet— continuing his 2014 manifesto promise which saw him not exceeding 18 ministers and deputies, one of the smallest cabinets on earth.

Just as he did with Chimulirenji when he picked him as his running-mate, APM will also look at loyalty, hardwork, integrity, patriotism and all what it takes to be a minister in a country with ambition to move out of the cesspit of poverty and “develop beyond recognition.”

No prizes will be given for guessing who will be in the Cabinet. But we can only say that APM will consider regional and gender balance in his selection of ministers to serve under him.

APM is,for sure, already at work. The beauty of being President is that the choice of your team is privileged to only one person: The President. Whoever he hires, that’s it. Nobody—and not even the constitution-stops him to pick whoever he wants.

The beauty with APM is that he is a patient President. Others, especially his critics, think being patient is his weakness. I think the opposite is true. That’s his greatest strength. They say patience is virtue.

Now, here is my take: I think –and this is purely my thinking- APM will pick 4 politicians from the North into his Cabinet, 4 from central and the rest 10 from eastern and southern regions, to make it 18.

I could be wrong. But whoever is hired, well, the best of luck. You have a good job. APM likes to keep his ministers for longer periods, ensuring continuity.

But whoever  will be hired, know this and I will quote what APM said when he was being sworn in recently: ”Malawi has a long way ahead. We need to walk together on our path to the Malawi we want. We have a dedicated duty before us. So, help us God.”

APM also beseeched God to “grant us the courage to make the right decisions, the faith to believe in our country and the patience to walk the path of our destiny.”

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