(NYASATIMES) Fr Tamani slams Bingu on bloated cabinet

Fr Tamani slams Bingu on bloated cabinet
By Nyasa Times
Published: June 17, 2009

Chairman of Public Affairs Committee (PAC) Fr Boniface Tamani has condemned President Bingu wa Mutharika for packing 43 people in a bloated cabinet. Tamani said the formation of the new bloated cabinet is not good for the economy of an impoverished state like Malawi.

“The number is too big for economy of ours. We think government will be spending more resources maintaining these cabinet ministers,” said Tamani who mostly defends President Mutharika.

The PAC chairman said Malawi would have welcomed a lean cabinet of about 20 ministers. He said President Mutharika knew the meaning of a lean cabinet but “chooses not to understand [its meaning].”

Fr Tamani said 43 cabinet membership is “too much”.

“For a small economy of ours, it doesn’t make sense,” he said.

“We can also look at other countries that have big economy and can manage with lean cabinet,” said the Catholic cleric.

He was speaking Zodiak radio soon after the announcement of the long awaited cabinet since President Mutharika was sworn-in for his last five year term of office on May 22.

A bloated Cabinet would also mean an expanded civil service, whose top officials also enjoy hefty salaries and allowances.

Most Malawians have argued that a 2o to 25-member Cabinet would be ideal, given the budgetary pressure a bloated cabinet would exert on the tax payer.

The surprise appointment in the cabinet was Finance Minister Ken Kandodo replacing Goodall Gondwe who has been applauded by all Malawians including the opposition that he was engine room of the economic recovery.

“We have the same opinion that Goodall Gondwe did a good job and his experience brought a kind of touch which was not there before.

“He was able to speak the language of economics and be able to convince people all over the world. I felt he should have been maintained but of course it is the President who has the prerogative to appoint who to be on what positions,” said Tamani.

The cabinet has 11 women including Vice President Right Hon Joyce Banda, Foreign Minister Dr Etta Banda, Trade and Industry minister Eunice Kazembe, Patricia Kaliati as minister of women and children and Anna Kachikho as tourism and wildlife minister.

Tagged with: Bingu, Cabinet, Fr Boniface Tamani, Godall Gondwe, Ken Kandodo, PAC