President Peter Mutharika has rewarded former Director of Women in Peoples’ Party (PP) Clara Makungwa, who recently joined the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), to be a presidential adviser.

Government Chief Secretary Lloyd Muhara confirmed in a statement on Tuesday seen by Nyasa Times that Makungwa, who served as Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare in the Joyce Banda administration, will be a presidential adviser on women affairs in the Office of President and Cabinet (OPC).

Muhara said the appointment is with effect from February 12 2018.

The position was last held by Anne Makuta.

Previously, she also held a senior position in the defunct National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of Brown Mpinganjira.

Makungwa is a close ally to Mpinganjira, who has also joined DPP.

She was one of the founders of PP together with Mpinganjira.