Ken Kandodo

Summary

Ken Kandodo is a Financial Manager, MP and politician who was appointed Malawi's Minister of Labour in July 2020, following the 2020 presidential elections. Ken Kandodo was relieved from his ministerial position in April 2021[1] following the fraudulent use of COVID-19 funds. Ken Kandodo also served as Malawi's Minister of Finance from 15 June 2009 to[2] 8 September 2011, due to the reshuffle in the Cabinet of Malawi. Kandodo is a grand nephew of former president Hastings Banda.On 18 April 2021, Ken Kandodo was fired from his ministerial post due to mismanagement of COVID-19 funds. He is a Chewa from the midlands of Malawi.[3]

Ken Kandodo
Minister of Finance
In office
15 June 2009 – 8 September 2011
PresidentBingu wa Mutharika
Preceded byGoodall Gondwe
Succeeded byKen Lipenga
Member of Parliament Kasungu Central
Assumed office
19 May 2009
Personal details
NationalityMalawian
Political partyDemocratic Progressive Party
RelationsHastings Banda
Alma materUniversity of Malawi, University of Strathclyde
OccupationPolitician
(MP, Cabinet minister)
ProfessionAccountant

Early life and career edit

He attended the University of Malawi, graduating in 1983 with a BSc in Social Science, majoring in economics. He attended the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, where he obtained an MBA degree in Finance. He worked as an Auditor with KPMG for ten years in the United Kingdom, Malawi and Mozambique. He was appointed a lead Consultant for UNICEF, holding this position for six years. He was UNICEF's Lead Consultant in a project in Mozambique to develop financial systems for managing the HIV/AIDS Common Fund. Before being elected to parliament, Kandodo was Chairperson of the Lilongwe Water Board and the National Food Reserve Agency.[2]

Political career edit

Kandodo became a senior member of the Malawi Congress Party. In 2006 he joined the Democratic Progressive Party.[3] Kandodo was elected Member of Parliament for Kasungu Central in May 2009.[2] He was appointed Minister of Finance on 15 June 2009, replacing Goodall Gondwe.[4] Ken Kandodo introduced the unpopular Zero Deficit Budget in Malawi in 2011 under the Bingu wa Mutharika administration. This was an unpopular bill during a time of economic crisis in Malawi that lead to unprecedented levels of fuel shortage, forex exchange and general economic mismanagement.[5] This led to the nationwide economic based July, 20th 2011 Malawi protests.[5] Kandodo was replaced after 2 months after the protests by Ken Lipenga as part of the Cabinet reshuffle that occurred on 8 September 2011.[5]

Philanthropy edit

He is sponsor of the Ken Kandodo Trophy, which presents awards to soccer and netball teams in and around Kasungu.[6]

Personal edit

In 1991, he married Monica Kandodo (née Chavula) a chartered quantity surveyor and have two daughters together.

His cousin, Jane Dzanjalimodzi, was appointed First Secretary to the Malawi Mission in Egypt in November 2010.[7]

He reported having contracted COVID-19 on 22 December 2020. He later recovered.[8]

References edit

  1. ^ "Malawi President Fires Cabinet Minister Over COVID Funds | Voice of America - English". www.voanews.com. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Minister of Finance - Honourable Ken Kandodo (MP)". Malawi Ministry of Finance. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
  3. ^ a b "Politics since Independence". Malawi MurphC. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  4. ^ "Malawi appoints Ken Kandodo as finance minister". London South East. 17 June 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  5. ^ a b c "Malawi President Chooses New Cabinet".
  6. ^ Christopher Jimu (30 November 2010). "KA Medicals lift K2.5 million Kan Kandodo Trophy". The Nation. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  7. ^ Abel Wezzi (22 November 2010). "Dzanjalimodzi given diplomatic post". Maravi Post. Archived from the original on 14 March 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  8. ^ Phiri, Frank (12 January 2021). "Four senior Malawi officials die from Covid-19". BusinessDay. Retrieved 14 January 2021.