Mablem Endorses Reappointment of Henry Mathanga as Deputy RBM Governor

The Malawi CSO-led Black Economic Empowerment Movement (Mablem), alongside the Forum for National Development (FND), has publicly endorsed the reappointment of Henry Mathanga as Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM), describing the move as both timely and justified. The two organisations say their support is grounded in long-standing concerns over governance at the central bank and the need to restore confidence in one of Malawi’s most critical financial institutions.

Briefing journalists in Lilongwe, Mablem representatives Fryson Chodzi and Moses Busha said the reappointment should not be viewed as a routine administrative decision, but as a necessary corrective step. They argued that reinstating Mathanga would help restore legality, institutional integrity and professionalism at the RBM, values they say were undermined in recent years amid growing political interference.

Chodzi said Mablem and FND have closely monitored developments at the RBM since 2020, particularly the erosion of the bank’s independence following the change of government. He noted that the RBM is a constitutionally protected and highly sensitive institution whose credibility depends on stability, continuity and strict adherence to the law, warning that deviations from these principles have had far-reaching consequences for the economy.

According to Chodzi, political considerations began to override legal and institutional safeguards after 2020, leading to decisions that destabilised the central bank and contributed to broader economic difficulties. He described Mathanga as one of the most visible casualties of this politicisation, saying that despite having served the RBM since 1984 under successive administrations, from Kamuzu Banda through Bakili Muluzi, Bingu wa Mutharika, Joyce Banda and Peter Mutharika, he was targeted on the basis of perceived political affiliation rather than any record of professional misconduct or incompetence.