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Malawi: President Banda dissolves cabinet in wake of corruption scandal
Malawi President Joyce Banda
Malawi President Joyce Banda dissolved the cabinet on Thursday after police arrested several junior officials in her government in recent weeks on suspicion of corruption. It is expected that more arrests will be made.
In a terse statement released by the office of the president indicated that Banda, who came to office in April 2012, would announce a new cabinet in due course. No further details were offered.
The office of the president had said on Wednesday that Banda would meet her cabinet the following day to discuss the financial scandal and who was responsible. No details of the meeting have been revealed yet, however, a senior government official, who asked not to be named, said Banda told the cabinet that she had “lost faith” in them.
The scandal, known locally as “cash-gate”, forced the government to shut down its payment system last week so that it could investigate over US$4 million that went missing, delaying the payment of salaries to a number of government employees.
Banda, who faces an election next year, has won acclaim for austerity measures, tough stance on corruption and moves to bolster the economy of the country.
The police said that about 10 junior government officials had been arrested so far for suspected graft.
A small group of protesters marched in the capital Lilongwe early on Thursday and delivered a petition calling for the dismissal and arrest firing of top government officials, including the immediate past Finance Minister Ken Lipenga, over the scandal.
