Govt dismisses Ansah resignation claims

Government has dismissed the speculative narrative that President Peter Mutharika asked First Vice-President Jane Ansah to resign. Chief Secretary Justin Saidi said in a statement yesterday that Ansah, who paired with Mutharika in the September 16 2025 General Election, continues to fully discharge her constitutional duties, including participating in Cabinet meetings and contributing towards the country’s governance. “Malawians are reminded that the exercise of presidential authority is governed by the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi.

Under Section 90 (1), presidential decisions are formally expressed in writing and under the President’s signature,” he said in the statement. “There is no such written communication that the State President has asked the Vice-President to resign because no such decision has been made.” Saidi also dismissed claims by United Democratic Front (UDF) and UTM Party that Ansah is being victimised, making reference to the reduced expenditure to the Office of the Vice-President and re-assignment of some delegated roles. He said the recent reassignment of some of the functions, notably the supervision role at the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) and Public Sector Reforms to the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), resulted in a corresponding adjustment to the budget of the Office of the Vice-President.

Saidi said: “These institutional realignments are part of a wider Public Sector Reform Agenda aimed at strengthening coordination, enhancing service delivery and improving operational efficiency within government. Ansah’s press secretary Richard Mveriwa yesterday did not respond to our request for comment. Mutharika picked Ansah—a retired Justice of Appeal—as his running mate in the September 16 election, and the pair went on to win the poll with 56.7 percent of the total votes cast.

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In an interview yesterday, National Advocacy Platform chairperson Benedicto Kondowe described the statement as reassuring; stressing it decisively dispels a speculative narrative. “It underscores that President Arthur Peter Mutharika continues to operate within the bounds of the Constitution, with no directive issues regarding the Vice-President’s resignation and that recent developments are part of broader fiscal discipline and public sector reform measures,” he said. Kondowe said the clarification also highlights the importance of proactive transparency in governance. Kondowe said: “Sustained public confidence will depend not only on adherence to constitutional principles, but also on ensuring that all constitutional offices are seen to function with dignity, clarity of mandate and institutional balance.”

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