Citizens slam Chakwera’s new cabinet as “Self-Serving and Wasteful”

A wave of disappointment has swept across Malawi following President Lazarus Chakwera’s recent cabinet reshuffle, with concerned citizens led by Comrade Edwards Kambanje branding it a missed opportunity to address the country’s pressing challenges.

Kambanje, speaking on behalf of the Concerned Citizens of Malawi, lambasted the reshuffle as a mere game of musical chairs, recycling the same faces that have, in his words, “miserably failed to deliver.”

“The President promised Malawians a lean cabinet, but what we have is a bloated, costly government filled with political allies and loyalists. This is not leadership; it’s a betrayal,” Kambanje stated.

Kambanje criticized the cabinet’s structure, highlighting its inefficiency and redundancy. He questioned the rationale behind having multiple ministries for sectors that could easily be streamlined.

“How does a struggling economy like Malawi justify separate ministries for water, energy, mining, and natural resources? These could be combined into one to save costs,” he argued.

He also took issue with the existence of two separate education ministries—one for higher education and another for basic and secondary education—calling it “wasteful and unjustifiable.”

For Kambanje, the cabinet reshuffle underscores a culture of political patronage rather than a focus on merit and national progress. He singled out certain appointments as mere image-saving exercises, referencing the reappointment of Ken Zikhale Ng’oma to a different ministry.

“This is not about competence or reform; it’s about protecting political allies,” Kambanje said. “The President has shown that he prioritizes loyalty over expertise.”

The reshuffle comes at a time when Malawi’s economy is grappling with severe hardships. Kambanje expressed concern that an expanded cabinet would only exacerbate the financial strain on taxpayers.

“The addition of more deputy ministers is a slap in the face of ordinary Malawians who are struggling to make ends meet. This government is running out of time and ideas,” he added.

Kambanje called for amendments to Malawi’s Constitution to limit presidential powers in creating ministries. He argued that unchecked authority allows for reckless decisions that disregard the country’s economic realities.

“It’s high time we put in place safeguards to ensure that no president can arbitrarily expand government without considering the cost implications,” he said.

In a scathing critique, Kambanje described President Chakwera as the least effective leader in Malawi’s history.

“He is not patriotic. He thinks only about himself and his inner circle. Malawi deserves better than this,” he declared.

As the country gears up for elections later this year, Kambanje urged Malawians to reject Chakwera’s leadership at the ballot box.

“This September, let us not repeat the same mistake. Malawi needs serious leadership now, not more empty