MZUZU, Malawi
In an
unnatural twist of events, Mordecai Msiska has turned down a ministerial
position offered to him by the Malawi’s new President, Lazarus Chakwera.
On Monday, June 29, 2020, Malawi leader
announced maiden cabinet including, Mordecai Msiska, who was Chakwera’s lead
counsel in the 2019 Presidential Election case as a Minister of Justice and
Constitutional Affairs.
But barely a day after the appointment,
Msiska has thrown back the offer arguing there are other better young Malawian
lawyers who could be considered for the position and that he has other fish to
fry.
“Well, it is true that I advised that I
could not take up the appointment for personal reasons. These personal reasons
have to do with just a matter of certain precedents and obligations that I
have. I have obligations to my members of staff, for instance, in the law firm
that I run and I could not walk away from those obligations.
“And importantly, I did feel that having
been lead counsel in the elections case, acting as a lead counsel for the
President, my getting into the administration, and particularly the ministry of
justice would unduly affect the processes that government system has to address,”
said the senior counsel.
While commenting on the
development, University of Livingstonia based political commentator, George
Allan Phiri, applauded Msiska, saying the gesture smacks of a personality who
considers the future of the young people in the country.
“The way I understand and know
Honourable Mordecai Msiska after the Constitutional Court ruling, he said the
owners of the court’s victory were the young people. And because he said that,
my understanding is that he wants the position to go to the young people; not
that he cannot perform in that position, but that the position should go the
more able and younger people who can perform better in that position,” Phiri
said.
President Chakwera appointed Mordecai Msiska as a minister beside the Vice President, Dr Saulos Chilima, Alex Mlusu and Richard Chimwendo Banda who have been appointed as Minister of Economic Development and Public Sector Reforms, Minister of Finance and Minister of Homeland Security, respectively.
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