Malawi president reduces size of cabinet in reshuffle

Lazarus Chakwera, the president of Malawi, trimmed the size of his cabinet as part of a reorganization that also saw the appointment of seven new people, among them an opposition lawmaker.

Despite being cut from 33 to 27, the number of ministers and deputy ministers is still considered to be excessive by some.

The resignations were anticipated when news broke that several ministers were being investigated for corruption by Malawi's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the UK's National Crimes Agency.

President Chakwera had pledged to name a new, smaller cabinet in his New Year's greeting.

Tuesday night at around midnight local time, the list of the new cabinet ministers was made public.

As was the case in the past, Mr. Chakwera has not given himself a ministerial portfolio. Additionally, he did not give his vice president, Saulos Chilima, who is accused of corruption but denies it, any ministerial responsibilities.

Because he cannot be dismissed in accordance with Malawian law, the vice president is still in office.

Senior party figures from the coalition that holds power were also excluded from the new government.