President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has appointed a new Board of Commissioners for the Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) effective Wednesday 23 September 2020.
According to a statement released on 23rd September 2020, signed by Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Mr. Zanga-zanga D. Chikhosi, the newly appointed Commissioners include Dr. Jerry Jana, Dr. Maggie Sikwese. Mr. Langford Chokotho, Prof Edge Kanyongolo, Mr. Sunge Mipando, Pastor Zach Kawalala, Dr. David Kamchamcha and Mr. Edward Elias Zilemba.
Reacting to the announcement, CFTC Executive Director James Kaphale said it was great news that the Commission has now a board.
“Apart from providing oversight on the operations of the CFTC, the Board of Commissioners also decides on cases. This means that in the absence of the board we were unable to conclude some cases,” said Kaphale.
He also noted that the board membership was good in that it was full of people with good track record.
The Competition and fair Trading Act provides that members of the Commission shall be nominated by a Minister and appointed the President. The members include two persons representing business interests, a lawyer, an economist, an accountant, and two persons representing consumer interests. The CFTC Board of Commissioners also includes the Secretary to the Treasury or his representative, the Secretary for Commerce and Industry or his representative, and the General Manager of the Malawi Bureau of Standards or his representative as ex officio members.
President Chakwera on 30th June 2020, dissolved boards for 60 parastatal organisations including the CFTC Board of Commissioners in a drive to ramp up government reforms.