Malawi President Peter Mutharika has fired Malawi Defence Force Commander Henry Odillo and replaced him with Major General Ignacio Maulana.

According to a statement from the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) on Tuesday, Major General Supuni Phiri has been demoted to Lieutenant General and Deputy Commander.

Chief Secretary to the State Hawa Ndilowe will now be Malawi's High Commissioner to Tanzania, replacing Flosy Gomile Chidyaonga, who died in office in May.

Ndilowe's deputy, Willy Samuti, is now Acting Chief Secretary to the State.

Mutharika has also appointed Fredrick Ndala, editor of a major local paper, as his press secretary, and Timpuza Mwansambo, broadcaster for Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), as deputy press secretary.

Popular Zodiak Radio talk show presenter Pilirani Phiri is now press secretary to Vice President Saulos Chilima.