By The Forum
During an international conference in London in 2018, George Partridge captured the attention of Peter Mutharika — then and now Malawi’s president. What began as admiration for the banker’s intellect has culminated in his appointment to cabinet.
“I created the Ministry of Industrialization, Business, Trade and Tourism, and I chose Mr. Partridge,” Mutharika said at the minister’s swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday in Blantyre. “I know him, I have been with him, and we were together at a conference in London where I heard him speak and was very impressed by him.”
Mutharika said Partridge had spoken about the role of member states in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). The president explained that although the new ministry combines four distinct areas — industry, business, trade and tourism — they are closely related, and he believes Partridge’s experience will help strengthen the country’s foreign exchange position.
After his appointment was announced, Partridge said in a social media post that he was aware that “the task ahead is enormous and expectations are high.”
He took the oath of office alongside Roza Fatch Mbilizi, who was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development. Mutharika described her portfolio as “the most important ministry in the country,” noting that her appointment marks the first time a woman has held the position.
The president told the new ministers their role is to help rebuild the economy and improve public service delivery. He said the oath of office was “a solemn commitment to the people of Malawi” and warned against misuse of public resources.
“I will be requiring a one-page report every month from every minister on what you have done in the previous month,” Mutharika said. “It must be clear, concrete, and supported by facts. If anyone is unable to perform, they will be out, and others will be brought in. I want us to develop this country.”
With the new appointments, Mutharika’s cabinet now has five ministers: George Partridge (Industrialization, Business, Trade and Tourism), Roza Fatch Mbilizi (Agriculture), George Chaponda (Foreign Affairs), Joseph Mwanamveka (Finance, Economic Planning and Development), and Alfred Gangata (Minister of State).
