Africa-Press – Malawi. President Peter Mutharika has signaled a generational shift in his administration by appointing youthful and highly qualified professionals to key government positions — a move that underscores his intent to blend experience with new intellectual energy.
In a statement issued by Chief Secretary to the Government, Justin Saidi, Mutharika appointed Dr. Max Wenga-Wenga as Executive Assistant to the President, exercising his constitutional powers under Section 89(1)(d).
Dr. Wenga-Wenga, a respected technocrat and scholar, is widely regarded as one of the brightest minds in the civil service. Colleagues describe him as humble, patriotic, and results-driven. “With his technical know-how and working for a Professor President, I believe his full potential will be unleashed in the service of the motherland,” said a former colleague who preferred anonymity.
According to information on his LinkedIn profile, Dr. Wenga-Wenga holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the Capital University of Economics and Business in Beijing, where he also served as a Teaching Assistant in Econometrics. He obtained his Masters Degree in Development Economics and International Development from the International University of Japan and a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences (Economics) from the University of Malawi, where he was Chairman of the Economics Society.
Professionally, he has served in various senior positions, including Deputy Director of Policy and Planning in the Ministry of Water and Sanitation, Assistant Chief Economic Advisor in the Office of the President and Cabinet, and Principal Economist in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development. His international exposure includes a stint as a Trade Fellow at the International Trade Centre in Geneva, Switzerland, and a period as a Lecturer at the University of Malawi.
Analysts say Dr. Wenga-Wenga’s appointment reflects Mutharika’s confidence in a new generation of technocrats capable of combining academic rigor with practical governance. “He embodies the modern civil servant — knowledgeable, disciplined, and patriotic,” said a senior government source.
In a related appointment, the President also named Mr. Sungani Mandala, aged 42, as Accountant General in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning, and Development — the youngest to hold the post in Malawi’s history. Mandala, who holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Malawi’s Polytechnic and an MBA from the University of Bradford in England, previously served as Director of Finance in the Office of the President and Cabinet.
The two appointments, effective immediately, are seen as a strong signal of Mutharika’s intent to modernize the public service through competence, youth, and integrity — a blend many hope will drive the next phase of Malawi’s administrative transformation.
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