First Vice-President Jane Ansah’s office yesterday could not answer whether she self-funded her private trip to the United Kingdom (UK) after President Peter Mutharika announced on Wednesday that his number two assured him of using private resources.
Instead, spokesperson in the Office of the First Vice-President Richard Mveriwa said Minister of Information and Communications Technology Shadric Namalomba was better placed to state whose money Ansah used to travel to Nottingham “since he is the one who issued a statement on travel budget.”
But when contacted, Namalomba—who on December 24, 2025 stated that Ansah would take five officials at a cost of K168 million and not the K1.9 billion for 15 people that went viral on social media—yesterday said “let me verify with Treasury and OPC [Office of the President and Cabinet] and will revert,” but had not responded by press time.
Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation Joseph Mwanamvekha as well as Secretary to the Treasury Cliff Chiunda were not immediately available for comment yesterday.
Chief Secretary to OPC Justin Saidi yesterday told The Nation to check with State House because “I did not issue any statement”.
But on Wednesday night, State House press secretary Cathy Maulidi referred us to President Mutharika’s statement.
In the said statement, Mutharika said when he learnt that Ansah planned to use public funds on her private trip to the UK; the First Vice President assured him that she would use private resources.
He said: “I wish to report that the Vice-President assured me that she would use her private resources on her trip.
“I would like to assure all Malawians that my administration remains firmly committed to exercising the highest level of prudence and accountability in the management of public resources.”
But experts yesterday said the shifting narratives by government on funding for Ansah’s private trip exposes a “grave failure of honesty and coherence in State communication”.
Reacting to the development, law professor Garton Kamchedzera from the University of Malawi said one of these two offices or both—State House and Ministry of Information and Communications Technology—has or have lied to the public.
“Malawi’s Constitution expects personal integrity, in Section 13(o). The reasons for deciding or being careless to lie underline lack of honest government, or at least honest communication,” he said.
Section 13 (o) of the Constitution calls on the State to ” introduce measures which will guarantee accountability, transparency, personal integrity and financial probity and which by virtue of their effectiveness and visibility will strengthen confidence in public institutions.”
Kamchedzera called for heads to roll.
“The public functionaries that have lied to the public must be held responsible and someone or some people must resign. It is essential to do so, to sustain trust in the public, which is essential for good governance,” he urged.
Private practice lawyer and governance pundit Benedicto Kondowe said the current matter does not imply a slip or miscommunication, but reflects either disorder or deception at the highest levels of government.
“Government must immediately release documentary evidence such as travel invoices, payment receipts and funding confirmations, proving that no public funds were used,” he said.
Accountability pundit Willy Kambwandira said such contradictions erode public trust and reinforce perception of impunity and elite entitlement.
“Parliament must rise above partisan interest and demand full accountability on the matter,” he said, adding that accountability in public office is demonstrated through evidence, not statements.
Another governance observer George Chaima said the five people accompanying Ansah cannot be funded from personal income, adding, Namalomba already confirmed that government approved her travel budget.
“lf what the President said is true, then he is working with people who do not tell him the truth. Therefore, if this is the case, then the whole nation is in trouble as we don’t know if we are governed by authorities we can trust,” he said.
Human Rights Defenders Coalition chairperson Michael Kaiyatsa said the situation gives the impression that decisions around public resources are being managed recklessly, without a unified communication strategy.
Ansah’s private visit comes after Mutharika on December 1 2025 left the country for South Africa on his first international trip since he was sworn-in on October 4 2025.
Mutharika returned home on December 15, while Ansah, who left the country on December 26 2025, is expected back on January 10 2026.
