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| National |
| Lipenga hits back at cabinet critics |
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by
Mc Donald Chapalapata, 16 June 2004
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08:43:10
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New Minister of Information, Communications and Tourism Ken Lipenga on Tuesday took a swipe at critics of President Bingu wa Mutharika’s 28-member cabinet.
Lipenga said the negative remarks on the cabinet merely reflect the well known prejudices of those who made them.
“It is not surprising that Father Boniface Tamani has made the negative remarks on the new cabinet. It will be history if we hear Tamani say anything good about government. The remarks he made on Honourable Henry Phoya are totally unwarranted and malicious,” said Lipenga.
Tamani told Nation Online on Tuesday that Mutharika’s cabinet was not lean as promised and doubted whether Phoya was fit for the post of Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, saying he failed to defend the Constitution during the Third Term Bill debate.
Lipenga also dismissed Mgwirizano Coalition spokesperson Kholiwe Mkandawire’s statement that Mutharika is still dancing to the tune of former president Bakili Muluzi who is national chairman of the ruling UDF, claiming he appointed Muluzi’s loyalists into the new cabinet.
“Kholiwe’s statement is ridiculous. Muluzi has no intention of interfering in government business. We know that there is an orchestrated plan by some disgruntled members to drive a wedge between the President and Muluzi but that is not going to work because we are a united party,” said Lipenga.
He also said it is strange to hear people who were throwing mud at Mutharika during the campaign period trying to act as advisers to the President.
The 28-member cabinet will be sworn in this morning at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre.
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