Protecting the vice p r e s i d e n c y i s about safeguarding constitutional order and national stability. My position is clear: this is not about taking sides. I have addressed this before, and my view remains consistent— the Office of the Vice President must be protected regardless of who holds it.
The concerns recently amplified by the Public Affairs Committee (PAC), the UTM Party, and the UDF are not merely partisan grievances; they are a reflection of a growing national anxiety that cannot be swept under the carpet. This is a matter of institutional integrity and constitutional dignity. Whether one agrees with the specific complaints or not, an open debate is a prerequisite for a healthy democracy.
Looking at our political history since the advent of multiparty democracy, it is evident that the office is structurally vulnerable. Nearly every Vice-President has faced a fallout with the presidency—a recurring dysfunction that should alarm us all.
This is a national issue that cannot be swept under the carpet; it demands open debate because it touches the very integrity of our democracy.
Our political history reveals a troubling pattern: almost every Vice President since the advent of multiparty democracy has fallen out with the presidency. This suggests the office itself may be structurally vulnerable.
It is deeply regrettable that in the case of Right Honourable Dr. Jane Ansah, controversies have surfaced a mere eight months into this administration. Such friction is profoundly troubling, signaling a breakdown in government cohesion.
What remains baffling is that the Vice-President was handpicked by the President as a partner of trust and strategic confidence. It is, therefore, an indictment of our political maturity that elements within the ruling party are already orchestrating calls for her resignation.
“Critics within the party seem to have short memories. During the controversial 2019 elections, the Vice President was a shield for the President and the government, defending them even as the public lashed out. To demonize her now, after she risked her own reputation for the party’s sake, is both inconsistent and unjust.”
It is imperative to recognize that the Vice President shares a direct mandate from the people of Malawi, having been elected on the same ticket as the President.
Co n s e q u ent l y, any scrutiny regarding her role or performance must be conducted strictly within established constitutional and legal frameworks. To allow social media campaigns or political pressure to bypass the rule of law would be to undermine the very foundations of our democracy.
From an objective standpoint, the calls for her removal appear less as a reflection of her character and more as a byproduct of internal power struggles within the ruling party. The Vice President has arguably become a target of 2030 succession politics, predicated on the transition following the conclusion of the President’s constitutional terms.
This movement may not be a presidential directive, but rather the work of individuals positioning themselves for the future who view the incumbent as an outsider and a barrier to their own political ambitions.
Ultimately, the persistent habit of undermining the Vice- President is not just a personal slight; it is a direct assault on the stability of the State. When we allow the second-highest office in the land to be treated as a disposable political tool, we weaken the very foundations of our Republic.
Time will ultimately reveal the consequences of these actions. For now, our focus should be on ensuring the Vice President has the full support required to serve the nation. Undermining her office does nothing to strengthen the government—especially now, when Malawi needs united leadership to tackle the pressing socio-economic challenges facing our people.
We must move beyond this cycle of executive insecurity and internal sabotage. To protect the Vice-President is to protect the Constitution itself; to do otherwise is to invite a state of permanent political fragility that Malawians can no longer afford to tolerate.
