This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
Published on July 10, 2020, Malawi's President Lazarus Chakwera has faced criticism for appointing relatives and friends to his cabinet. In response, he emphasized the qualifications and experience of his chosen ministers.
Chakwera's cabinet includes a husband and wife duo, as well as individuals related to each other, sparking concerns about nepotism and conflicts of interest.
Among those appointed are Sidik Mia, the president's former running mate in the 2019 elections, as minister for transport, and his wife Abida Mia as deputy minister for lands.
When questioned about the appointments, Chakwera told BBC Focus on Africa radio, 'Critics may have a point [but]… both of them are accomplished politicians' in their own right.
Other notable appointments include Kenny Kandodo as labour minister and his sister Khumbize Kandodo as health minister, as well as the son of Joyce Banda, a former president and ally of Chakwera.
Chakwera has stated that the test of his cabinet's effectiveness will not be who the ministers are, but whether they deliver results.
'This is going to be reviewed, because you have to deliver, you have to work so that you are contributing this process of rebuilding and if you don’t you are out,' he said.
