Say no more -- the moment the list dropped, you could almost hear the collective sigh of déjà vu. Yes, President Arthur Peter Mutharika has finally unveiled his new cabinet, and on first glance, you might be tempted to give it a 60 percent score. But scratch the surface, and the cracks appear fast and deep.
This cabinet is déjà vu dressed as renewal. It reeks of the same old politics of appeasement, the recycled logic that everyone must eat something, even if it adds nothing.
A Second Vice President--For What?
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If the first Vice President in Malawi's political setup already struggles to find purpose, what exactly is the point of a second one? Yes, it tickles a few egos, pleases the inner circle, and buys political loyalty--but at what cost to the ordinary Malawian? This is not leadership; it's indulgence. You can't run a broke government like a reunion of friends.
Donors Will Not Be Amused
Among the names on the list are individuals who have either been in court or under investigation for corruption. That's not boldness--it's recklessness. Expect uneasy whispers from Washington, London, and the IMF offices. Expect frozen smiles at the next donor conference. In the best-case scenario, some aid will stall. In the worst, visas will vanish, and Malawi's fragile credibility will collapse under the weight of political arrogance.
Qualifications, Anyone?
Let's say it plainly: some appointments defy logic. A few of these ministers have no academic or professional background to match the portfolios they've been handed. They are there for loyalty, not ability. If this cabinet were an exam paper, some names wouldn't make it past the instructions page.
But to Be Fair...
There are glimmers of hope. Many of those appointed are not new to government--they've been tested, they are loyal, and quite a number are well educated. Mutharika has leaned on experience and trust, and that counts for something. But experience without transformation is just nostalgia.
What Malawi Needed, But Didn't Get
This was supposed to be a war-time cabinet--a government of national urgency, not national comfort. A team that puts results over representation. When the economy is bleeding, nobody cares whether the cabinet has enough women, northerners, or loyalists. What matters is whether it has people who can bring in forex, fix supply chains, and turn policy into action fast.
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Instead, we got a government built for politics, not performance.
Mutharika may have filled the seats, but not necessarily with the soldiers needed for battle. Some of these faces are dependable, yes--but dependability alone doesn't rebuild an economy or restore investor confidence.
For now, let's give them a cautious six out of ten--a glass of water in the desert of expectation. But make no mistake: Malawians are watching. The honeymoon will be short, and the next assessment will be brutal.
Because this time, the country doesn't need good intentions or old friendships--it needs results.
