Malawi president fires Cabinet amid corruption scandal

BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) -- President Bakili Muluzi has fired his entire 31-member Cabinet in the wake of mounting criticism of government corruption from aid donors, opposition parties and local civic groups.

In a brief statement read on national radio and television, Muluzi said late Wednesday that all government duties would be handled by his office until a new Cabinet is appointed.

The new Cabinet was expected by the weekend, said a State House official, speaking on condition of anonymity. Though the mass firings had been expected for some time, the statement did not offer any reasons for the move.

Malawi, a small southeast African nation that gained independence from Britain in 1964, is one of the poorest countries in the world and is deeply dependent on foreign aid. Donor pressure put an end to the 30-year dictatorship of former "Life President" Hastings Kamuzu Banda in 1994.

Malawi's parliamentary Public Accounts Committee recently published a report detailing high levels of corruption and fraud in Muluzi's government, the first to be democratically elected here.

The government was also recently criticized for spending $2 million on Mercedes Benz limousines for Cabinet ministers while 20,000 prisoners in Malawian jails faced starvation because the Justice Ministry lacked funds to feed them. Aid from Britain eventually saved the prisoners.

Despite pressure from donors and local groups, Muluzi had said he could not dismiss ministers until he had proof of misconduct.

Muluzi, who has been accused by critics of merely switching corrupt ministers to new portfolios in past reshuffles, received a report on government corruption earlier this week.

Malawi's Reserve Bank said it hoped this year to receive $164 million from foreign donor nations and agencies. Malawi, whose people have an average annual income of $940, lacks industry and mineral wealth. The economy is heavily dependent on agricultural exports such as tobacco and tea.

Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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