Political commentators have criticized President Lazarus Chakwera’s newly announced cabinet, calling it a missed opportunity to bring meaningful change to Malawi.
The criticisms centre on concerns about the country’s economic challenges and the president’s decision to increase the number of ministers.
Wonderful Mkhutche, a prominent political analyst, urged Malawians to lower their expectations for the new cabinet. “Considering the state of our economy, this was not the time to expand the number of ministers,” he said.
“It seems the president is rewarding his loyal supporters rather than addressing the country’s urgent needs.”
Willy Kambwandira, head of the Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency (CSAT), shared similar views, describing the reshuffle as “putting old wine into a new bottle.” Kambwandira argued that underperforming ministers should have been removed altogether.
“This reshuffle appears to be more about preparing for the next election than tackling the country’s challenges,” he said. “It’s unlikely this team will deliver the results Malawians are hoping for.”
Observers have noted that many ministers from the previous cabinet have been reinstated, with only a few reassigned to new roles. Critics argue that this signals continuity rather than change, raising doubts about the government’s ability to address pressing issues like economic recovery and governance reforms.
Thomas Chirwa, another critic, accused President Chakwera of ignoring public concerns. He said, “I expected significant changes and a reduction in the number of ministers. Instead, Chakwera has increased the numbers. What he has done is mere appeasement. He has missed the opportunity and continues to fail in making presidential decisions.”
As Malawians wait to see the performance of the new cabinet, the debate over the president’s choices continues to dominate public discourse. Many question whether the reshuffle signifies genuine progress or is merely a political strategy ahead of the next election.
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