Malawi President Peter Mutharika appointed a 24-member cabinet with 18 ministers and 6 deputies an increase of four from his first term cabinet which had 20 members.
PovoNews.com previously reported that Mutharika was re-elected as Malawi’s president with over 1.9 million votes (38.57%) after elections on May 21.
Many critics have highlighted Mutharika’s failure to achieve regional balance by having 16 cabinet members from the South, his home region.
The remaining eight cabinet positions are shared between Malawi’s two other regions the North and Central regions which got 4 each.
A new trend in Africa is appointing gender neutral cabinets which are now present in Ethiopia (20), Rwanda (26) and South Africa (28) but Mutharika bucked the trend.
Although Malawi’s new cabinet has 15 new faces (10 ministers & 5 deputies), the female representation is 21% with only 5 women making the cut (2 ministers & 3 deputies).
Mutharika also appointed four special advisers who included former Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe while Kalekeni Kaphale was reappointed Attorney General.
President Mutharika’s special advisors
- Goodall Gondwe: Special advisor on finance and development
- Grezelder Jeffrey: Special advisor on women
- Uladi Mussa: Special advisor on parliamentary affairs
- Chris Daza: Special advisor on Governance
Malawi’s cabinet appointed by President Peter Mutharika on 19 June 2019
| Portfolio | Full Name | Elected position | Political Party | Gender | Highest Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minister of Defence | Peter Mutharika | President | DPP | Male | PhD |
| Minister of Disaster, Relief Management and Public Events | Everton Herbert Chimulirenji | Vice President | DPP | Male | Certificate in Business Administration |
| Minister of Finance | Joseph Mwanamvekha | Chiradzulu South MP | DPP | Male | MA in Economics |
| Minister of Agriculture | Kondwani Nankhumwa | Mulanje Central | DPP | Male | |
| Minister of Homeland Security | Nicholas Dausi | Mwanza Central | DPP | Male | |
| Minister of Labour | Martha Lunji | Nkhotakota North East MP | DPP | Female | |
| Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining | Bintony Kutsaira | DPP Governor for the Centre | DPP | Male | |
| Minister of Local government | Benson Malunga Phiri | Thyolo Central MP | DPP | Male | |
| Minister of Information | Mark Michael Bottomani | Zomba Chisi MP | DPP | Male | |
| Minister of Education | William Susuwele Banda | Zomba Lisanjala MP | Independent | Male | PhD |
| Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare | Mary Navicha | Thyolo Thava MP | DPP | Female | Bachelor’s degree |
| Minister of Housing | Simon Vuwa Kaunda | Nkhata Bay Central MP | DPP | Male | |
| Minister of Trade | Ibrahim Salim Bagus | Chikhwawa Central MP | Independent | Male | |
| Minister of Justice | Bright Msaka | Machinga Likwenu MP | DPP | Male | Bachelor of Laws (LLB) |
| Minister of Transport | Ralph Jooma | Mangochi Monkey Bay MP | DPP | Male | |
| Minister of Health | Jappie Mhango | Mtuwa Mhango MP | DPP | Male | |
| Minister of Youth | Francis Phisso | Blantyre North MP | DPP | Male | |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | Francis Lazalo Kasaila | Nsanje Central MP | DPP | Male | |
| Deputy Minister of Transport | Charles Mchacha | Thyolo West MP | DPP | Male | MBA |
| Deputy Minister of Defence | Chipiliro Mpinganjira | Blantyre City Centre MP | DPP | Male | Bachelor of Laws (LLB) |
| Deputy Minister of Education | Martha Chiuluntha Ngwira | Mzimba Hora MP | DPP | Female | |
| Deputy Minister of Local GovernmenT | Esther Majaza | Mchinji North East MP | DPP | Female | |
| Deputy Minister of Gender | Grace Kwelepeta | Zomba Malosa MP | DPP | Female | |
| Deputy Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining | Mungasulwa Mwambande | Karonga North MP | DPP | Male |
