President Peter Mutharika’s newly reconstituted Cabinet has drawn mixed reactions with some commentators questioning fiscal discipline and gender inclusivity adherence. But Minister of Information and Communication Technology Shadric Namalomba said yesterday the new lineup is enhancing youth inclusivity. In the new Cabinet announced on Monday with four new deputies and four ministers moved around, there are seven women, which translate to 25 percent female representation, down from 29.1 percent before the shakeup.
The low female representation contradicts key commitments made by the now governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in its 2025–2030 manifesto, which promised to increase women’s participation in politics, Cabinet appointments and decision-making positions. The Nation analysis of Mutharika’s Cabinets since 2014 shows that the 28-member team is his second largest after the one in March 2020, which had 32 members with barely three months to the June 2020 court-sanctioned fresh presidential election. Throughout much of his previous Cabinets beginning in 2014, Mutharika maintained an average of 22 members, with women accounting for roughly 19 percent.
While the current 25 percent female representation marks an improvement compared to previous years, Women Lawyers Association of Malawi (WLA) argues that it still falls short of national and international gender equality standards. Responding to concerns over both Cabinet expansion and gender balance, Namalomba said the increase from 24 to 28 ministers was aimed at enhancing youth inclusivity. He said the move aligns with DPP’s manifesto commitment to engage young people in leadership roles early in their careers, arguing that broader representation can strengthen governance and innovation.
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Namalomba, who is the government official spokesperson, acknowledged that women’s representation has declined in the new Cabinet “While HE [His Excellency] President APM [Mutharika] has designed a Cabinet that remains flexible for regular review according to national needs, the public can anticipate greater inclusion of women in future appointments,” he said. The absence of roles for First Vice-President Jane Ansah and Second Vice-President Enock Chihana in the official Cabinet announcement also raised speculation that the two had been stripped off the functions. Ansah was ass igned disaster management affairs while Chihana is the political champion for the construction
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