Malawi president puts family in cabinet

Malawi’s president Bingu wa Mutharika has appointed a former English professor as finance minister in a reshuffle that also strengthened his family’s hold in the cabinet and followed a bloody crackdown on protests.

Mr Mutharika, criticised for his autocratic style, would remain in charge of defence, a cabinet statement said yesterday.

His brother and heir apparent, Peter, was appointed foreign minister and Mr Mutharika’s wife, Calista, was put in charge of HIV/Aids and women’s affairs, a move likely to anger reformists.

“The president still needs to justify why his wife is in the cabinet and his brother is in the cabinet before we start accusing him of nepotism,” opposition leader John Tembo said.

“He has maintained a lot of ministers from his home region, which is also wrong.”

The shake-up follows protests in July against the worsening economic plight of the average Malawian. Many face daily shortages of fuel and foreign exchange despite official annual growth figures of 7 per cent or more.

Nineteen people were killed in a police crackdown on the unprecedented demonstrations, which revealed the deep resentment to Mr Mutharika’s rule over the landlocked nation of 13 million people.

Even before the protests, former colonial ruler Britain had frozen aid worth more than $500 million (£310m) over four years because of a diplomatic spat.

More protests are likely if the cabinet reshuffle does not go down well on the streets.