President Lazarus Chakwera has shifted Engineer Vitumbiko Mumba from his Labour portfolio to become the new Minister of Trade and Industry, replacing Sosten Gwengwe.
He announced the change in Parliament yesterday, just a day after vendors marched to Parliament Building in Lilongwe to demonstrate against the high cost of second hand clothing (kaunjika), where Gwengwe addressed the angry protesters.
In his address, the President said he was aware of a cartel that was responsible for distorting market prices for political gain and that he was ready to fight it.
Said Chakwera: “My resolve and my mission is to liberate suffering Malawians from the economic shackles of this cartel, come what may.
“And it is because of this resolve that I am appointing Honourable Engineer Vitumbiko Mumba as the new Minister of Trade and Industry effective immediately.”
Mumba’s switch from Labour to Trade and Industry comes just two months after he was drafted into Cabinet.
During that time, he has stamped his authority, taking some investors head on with labour inspection exercises that have exposed the depth of suffering Malawians go through in most workplaces.
Posting on his WhatsApp status, Gwengwe thanked Chakwera for the “privilege to have served him as a minister” adding that he will forever be grateful.
Meanwhile, Chakwera has promoted Peter Dimba as Minister of Labour from the post of Deputy Minister of Transport and Public Works. Steven Baba Malondera is now the new Deputy Minister of Transport and Public Works.
