VZCZCXRO7268
RR RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR
DE RUEHLG #0489/01 1560525
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 050525Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2880
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 LILONGWE 000489 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR AF/S GABRIELLE MALLORY 
STATE FOR INR/AA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM MI
SUBJ: CABINET RESHUFFLED; OPPOSITION "REBEL" LEADERS JOIN 
GOVERNMENT 
 
 
1.(U) Summary: President Bingu wa Mutharika has reshuffled 
his Cabinet, bringing aboard three prominent opposition 
leaders and sacking three ministers.  The changes have 
affected almost every ministry, as a number of ministers 
have been moved, three new positions created, and eight new 
ministers brought on board. The embattled Vice President, 
who is still under house arrest for treason charges, has 
been dropped from Cabinet. End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Two leaders in the opposition Malawi Congress Party 
(MCP), Shadow Minister of Finance Ted Kalebe and Shadow 
Minister of Health Bitony Kutsaira, have joined government 
as deputy ministers in the ministries of Finance and 
Agriculture. United Democratic Front (UDF) Treasurer General 
Bob Khamisa has also joined government as Minister of Home 
Affairs. 
 
¶3. (U) Minister of Health Hetherwick Ntaba, a long-time 
politician who has served as Minister in all three of 
Malawi's presidential administrations, headlines the list of 
those let go.  Minister of Trade and Private Sector 
Development Martin Kansichi and Deputy Minister of Mines, 
Natural Resources and Environment Jimmy Banda were also 
fired. 
 
¶4. (U) The Minister of Foreign Affairs Davies Katsonga has 
been moved to Minister of Defense, a position that the 
President had previously held. Taking his place is former 
Minister of Gender, Joyce Banda. The Deputy Minister of 
Foreign Affairs, Marjorie Ngaunje, has been promoted to 
Health Minister, and the new Deputy Minister is Henry Mumba, 
former Deputy Minister of Agriculture. 
 
¶5. (U) The President has created new positions of Minister 
of State in the Office of the President, Deputy Minister of 
Finance, and Deputy Minister of Local Government. The 
Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology has also been 
combined with the Ministry of Trade and Private Sector 
Development to create the Ministry of Industry, Trade and 
Private Sector Development.  The total number of cabinet 
positions has increased to thirty-seven, including the 
president. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment: Convincing Kalebe and Kutsaira to join 
cabinet has to be considered a political coup for the 
President. While both have been vocal in their disagreements 
with MCP leader John Tembo, they were both valued front- 
benchers in the opposition.  They also have been considered 
leaders of the "young" MCP members pushing for a leadership 
change within the party.  The real questions will be whether 
or not the two can bring along any other MCP members to the 
government side, which might push Mutharika's party toward a 
majority in parliament. 
 
¶7. (SBU) For their part, neither Ntaba nor Kansichi are 
Members of Parliament, and were likely replaced in an effort 
to add parliamentary support to government ahead of the 
opening of next Tuesday's budget session. Outside of these 
changes, however, the President's general shuffling of 
portfolios seems to be more about shaking things up 
throughout the cabinet, rather than specifically demoting or 
promoting individuals. End Comment. 
 
¶8. Cabinet Appointments 
------------------------ 
 
Minister of State for Statutory Corporations 
Elizabeth Aipira [DPP] (former Deputy Minister of Statutory 
Corporations) 
 
Minister of State in the Office of the President 
Richard Msowoya [DPP] (New) 
 
Minister of Finance 
Goodall Gondwe [DPP] (Reappointed) 
 
Deputy Minister of Finance 
Ted Kalebe [MCP] (New) 
 
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security 
Uladi Mussa [DPP] (Reappointed) 
 
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security 
Bintony Kutsaira [MCP] (New) 
 
Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation 
Joyce Banda [DPP] (former Minister of Gender, Child Welfare 
 
LILONGWE 00000489  002 OF 003 
 
 
& Community Development) 
 
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International 
Cooperation 
Henri Mumba [DPP] (former Deputy Minister of Agriculture & 
Food Security) 
 
Ministry for Industry, Trade and Private Sector Development 
Dr. Ken Lipenga [DPP] (former Minister of Labor & Vocational 
Training) 
 
Deputy Ministry for Industry, Trade and Private Sector 
Development 
Rashid Gaffar [DPP] (former Deputy Minister of Transport & 
Public Works) 
 
Minister for Energy, Mines and Natural Resources 
Henry Chimunthu Banda [DPP] (Reappointed) 
 
Deputy Minister for Energy, Mines and Natural Resources 
Ernest Malenga [DPP] (former Deputy Minister of Local 
Government & Rural Development) 
 
Minister for Local Government and Rural Development 
Dr. George Chaponda [DPP] (Reappointed) 
 
Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development 
Callista Chimombo [DPP] (New) 
 
Minister for Transport and Public Works 
Henry Mussa [DPP] (Reappointed) 
 
Deputy Minister for Transport and Public Works 
Charles Mchacha [DPP] (former Deputy Minister of Health) 
 
Minister for Economic Planning and Development 
David Faiti [DPP] (Reappointed) 
 
Minister for Education and Vocational Training 
Anna Kachikho [DPP] (former Minister of Home Affairs & 
Internal Security) 
 
Deputy Minister for Education and Vocational Training 
Roy Commsy [DPP] (former Deputy Minister Home Affairs & 
Internal Security) 
 
Minister for Irrigation and Water Development 
Sidik Mia [DPP] (Reappointed) 
 
Deputy Minister for Irrigation and Water Development 
Frank Mwenifumbo [DPP] (Reappointed) 
 
Minister for Defence 
Davis Katsonga [DPP] (former Minister of Foreign Affairs) 
 
Minister for Information and Tourism 
Patricia Kaliati [DPP] (Reappointed) 
 
Deputy Minister for Information and Tourism 
John Bande [DPP] (Reappointed) 
 
Minister for Lands, Housing and Surveys 
Henry Phoya [DPP] (former Minister of Justice & 
Constitutional Affairs) 
 
Deputy Minister for Lands, Housing and Surveys 
Symon Vuwa Kaunda [DPP] (New) 
 
Minister for Home Affairs and Internal Security 
Bob Khamisa [UDF] (New) 
 
Deputy Minister for Home Affairs and Internal Security 
Khumbo Kachale [DPP] (former Deputy Minister of Defense) 
 
Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs 
Bazuka Mhango [RP? DPP?] (former Minister of Lands, Housing 
& Surveys) 
 
Minister for Labour and Social Development 
Khumbo Chirwa [DPP] (former Minister of Industry, Science & 
Technology) 
 
Deputy Minister for Labour and Social Development 
Davie Ngulinga [DPP] (former Deputy Minister of Education) 
 
Minister for Health 
Marjorie Ngaunje [DPP] (former Deputy Minister of Foreign 
 
LILONGWE 00000489  003 OF 003 
 
 
Affairs) 
 
Deputy Minister for Health 
Aaron Sangala [DPP] (New) 
 
Minister for Women and Child Development 
Kate Kainja-Kaluluma [MCP? DPP?] (former Minister of 
Education) 
 
Minister for Youth, Sports and Culture 
Jaffalie Mussa [UDF] (Reappointed) 
 
Minister for Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly 
Clement Khembo [DPP] (New) 
 
EASTHAM