President Peter Mutharika on Friday dissolved his Cabinet a day after Supreme Court of Appeal ruled the processes for fresh presidential elections as ordered by Constitution Court be continued pending substantive appeal.
The sacking of entire Cabinet is with effect from Friday, 13th March 2020.
According to a statement from Chief Secretary to the government Lloyd Muhara, all ministerial powers, functions, and responsibilities will be exercised by the president.
Observers says Mutharika would announce a new cabinet to incorporate Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) alliance partner United Democratic Front (UDF).
“Perhaps the President wants to accommodate UDF or he is reacting to the perceived divisions in the party. So the decision might be aimed at rewarding it’s ally UDF or punish those perceived to be no longer in his good books,” governance commentator Makhumbo Munthali told Nyasa Times.
The Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) says all members of the dissolved cabinet are requested to consult the Chief Secretary to the government for appropriate administrative arrangements.
Munthali further said while the President has powers to dissolve the Cabinet he shouldn’t come up with a fresh Cabinet considering the fact that in few months there will be fresh elections.
“And besides that would be costly Government business can still move with mere Principal Secretaries in few months before elections.
“Otherwise with the nullification of the elections I would argue that in ideal situation we should only have the President and the Vice President in the political arm of the executive.”
The poor southern African state with widespread corruption is heavily dependent on financial aid from the European Union (EU) and other foreign powers such as Britain, United States and Germany.