President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has appointed Peter Dimba as the new Minister of Labour replacing Engineer Vitumbiko Mumba, who had earlier been appointed as the new Minister of Trade and Industry replacing Sosten Gwengwe.
President Chakwera has also named Baba Steven Malondera as the new Deputy Minister of Transport taking over from Dimba, who previously held the position before his promotion.
While some view it as a necessary intervention, others believe it is an overdue and insufficient attempt to address the country’s economic and social challenges.
Governance expert George Chaima criticized the President for delaying action despite persistent calls from the public to reshuffle his cabinet.
According to Chaima, Malawians have been experiencing worsening economic and social conditions for a long time, yet their concerns were largely ignored.
“The President has been taking long to make decisions and to act. Until when things are worse is when he steps in to try and address matters. This has worsened the status quo of the country. The highly touted SOSISA theory is a failed and dislocated economic joint that cannot be fixed through the surgery performed by President Chakwera, therefore the best the State President can do is to fire all of them,” said Chaima.
He further expressed disappointment in the cabinet changes, arguing that simply rotating the same individuals within different ministries will not yield the transformation Malawians expect.
“I expected the President to remove some ministers and replace them with new blood, rather than recycling the same people. This is not solving Malawi’s problems,” he added.
Chaima believes that the reshuffle comes too late and was done under pressure rather than as a proactive governance measure. He also warned that if the government fails to address the country’s pressing issues, civil unrest could intensify.
“The recent protests by second-hand clothes vendors and other business owners over the high cost of living should be a wake-up call. People are demonstrating because they feel unheard. If government fails to respond, pressure will mount, and Malawians may eventually choose to express their frustrations at the ballot box,” he warned.
Meanwhile, political analyst Victor Chipofya emphasized that while cabinet reshuffles fall under the President’s prerogative, ultimate accountability lies with Chakwera himself, not the ministers he appoints.
He argued that Malawians should judge the President based on his ability to govern rather than his choice of ministers.
“The Constitution grants the President the sole authority to appoint and remove cabinet ministers. Whether they perform or not, we can only advise. But at the end of the day, it is his decision. Ministers are not elected officials; they are appointed. Malawians elect the President, and it is him they should hold accountable for the country’s state,” Chipofya stated.
Chipofya pointed to the country’s ongoing economic crisis, hyperinflation, forex shortages, and food insecurity as major indicators of governance failure.
He stressed that the President should not deflect blame onto his appointees.
“We see rampant corruption, businesses struggling, and people dying of hunger. These are issues that need presidential intervention. The President appoints the Reserve Bank Governor and the Secretary to the Treasury, who oversee monetary and fiscal policy. If things are not working, it is the President’s responsibility,” he added.
As Malawi approaches the 2025 general elections, analysts agree that the Chakwera administration must take urgent action to address the country’s economic woes.
Whether the recent cabinet reshuffle will bring meaningful change remains to be seen, but the pressure on the government is undoubtedly mounting.
