BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The National Advocacy Platform (NAP) has commended President Arthur Peter Mutharika for appointing a new Cabinet in accordance with Section 94 (1) of the Constitution, describing the move as an important step toward ensuring leadership continuity and stability during a critical phase of national transition.

In its statement,signed by NAP chairperson Benodicto Kondowe and National Coordinator Baxton Nkhoma, NAP observed that the newly constituted Cabinet demonstrates a deliberate effort to balance political experience with technical expertise, a combination that has the potential to enhance policy coordination and promote governance effectiveness.

The organization, however, underscored the need for the new administration to anchor its operations in integrity, reform and service delivery to rebuild public confidence and advance inclusive national progress.

While acknowledging the appointment of capable figures such as First Vice President Dr. Jane Ansah, NAP expressed concern that women, youth and persons with disabilities remain underrepresented in the new Cabinet.

The platform noted that the composition falls short of the national commitments outlined in the Gender Equality Act (2013), the National Youth Policy and the Disability Act (2012), as well as the inclusivity aspirations embedded in Malawi 2063.

Despite commendable individual appointments, the organization said the overall picture remains imbalanced and urged the government to pursue deliberate and progressive inclusion of marginalized groups not only within the Cabinet but also across public institutions, parastatals and diplomatic missions.

The advocacy body further acknowledged President Mutharika’s effort to rationalize the Cabinet to 21 ministers in addition to the President and two Vice Presidents, describing this as a positive step toward fiscal discipline.

However, NAP emphasized that “Malawi’s constrained fiscal space and increasing public debt demand even greater prudence. A more compact Cabinet, it said, would have signaled stronger fiscal restraint and a commitment to efficient governance”.

The grouping urged the administration to prioritize frontline sectors such as education, health and agriculture, where investments directly impact citizens’ welfare and the nation’s long-term development.

NAP also commended the establishment of strategic portfolios, including Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation, Industrialisation, Business, Trade and Tourism and Natural Resources, Energy and Mining, saying these could play a vital role in driving economic recovery and structural transformation if managed with policy coherence, inter-ministerial collaboration and transparency.

It added that economic planning must remain data-driven and aligned with the Malawi 2063 vision, while decentralisation should empower local authorities rather than centralize power.

The platform noted that the new Cabinet assumes office at a time when the country is facing rising inflation, high youth unemployment, food insecurity and the impacts of climate change.

It urged the administration to focus on evidence-based decision-making, performance monitoring, and measurable outcomes rather than political allegiance.

NAP also welcomed the President’s commitment to introducing monthly ministerial performance assessments and one-page progress reports but stressed that these mechanisms must be genuinely implemented.

The organization called for such reports to be made publicly available in line with the Access to Information Act, ensuring transparency and enabling citizens and Parliament to monitor progress.

The Maravi Post