President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has appointed his niece, Duwa Mutharika as first secretary in Malawi Embassy in South Africa, faceofmalawi can reveal.

According to a letter signed by Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Duwa will be responsible for the promotion of tourism at the consulate.

The letter further says that Duwa will be informed as to when she will take up the job.

The appointment has attracted mixed reaction with many attributing the appointment to the current squabbles rocking the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) which was started by Duwa’s step mother Callista Mutharika.

Callista publicly rejected Mutharika’s candidature and she opted for his Vice Saulos Chilima.

The issue prompted Malawians to speculate that Mutharika is not in good terms with his relatives especially the family of his brother late Bingu wa Mutharika.