President can appoint VP—MLS

The Malawi Law Society (MLS) has said the law gives the President the prerogative to appoint anybody to the Office of the Vice-President.

The MLS comment comes following questions being raised after the Vice-President’s office has fallen vacant due to Joyce Banda’s ascendancy to the presidency.

MLS secretary general Bright Theu, who is also a law lecturer at Chancellor College, said the President is entitled to appoint any person for the remainder of the term.

Said Theu: “The powers the President has in appointing the VP in this circumstance is similar to that of appointing Cabinet ministers.”

Theu said there is no given time frame for the appointment, but expressed optimism that the President will do that in time.

He said even though there is no law demanding the President to consult before making the appointment, he believes as democracy rests on consulting, it would help the President if she makes wide consultations before arriving at the decision.