LILONGWE, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Malawian government has made further changes to fill gaps in the Cabinet following the firing of Trade and Industry Minister Sosten Gwengwe on Wednesday.

In an announcement made in the parliament on Wednesday, President Lazarus Chakwera replaced Gwengwe with Vitumbiko Mumba, less than three months after Mumba was appointed as labor minister.

A late announcement by the Office of the President and Cabinet on Wednesday evening said Deputy Minister of Transport and Public Works Peter Dimba is now the labor minister, while Steve Malondera has been appointed deputy minister of transport and public works, replacing Dimba.

Gwengwe's dismissal came after protests by second-hand clothes vendors in the capital on Tuesday, following a sharp increase in wholesale prices.

The president blamed a cartel in the business community for destabilizing the country with high prices and vowed to address the issue.

Following the protests on Wednesday, a high-level meeting involving the ministries of trade, finance and justice, along with the Reserve Bank of Malawi, was held to agree on measures to counter rising consumer goods prices.

Amid a critical foreign exchange shortage affecting importers, the government announced a special provision for those importing second-hand clothes. Enditem

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