President Arthur Peter Mutharika has effectively stripped Vice President Jane Ansah of her most powerful responsibility by removing the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) from her office and placing it directly under his control at the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC). The decision leaves the Vice President with little more than a title and an office, as disaster management has been the single most influential and visible function attached to her position. In a country regularly hit by floods, droughts and food crises, control of DoDMA is one of the most politically powerful roles in government.
In a statement,Chief Secretary Justin Saidiconfirmed that DoDMA will now report directly to President Mutharika. He said the move is meant to improve government response to emergencies and allow faster coordination of relief. “There will also be improved response, since the Office of the President and Cabinet has the capacity to facilitate quicker responses for emerging disasters,” reads part of the statement.
But behind the language of efficiency lies a major shift of power. Until now, Dr Jane Ansah was the face of government disaster response, controlling relief coordination, emergency funding and engagement with donors and humanitarian agencies. In practical terms, this means the Vice President no longer oversees disaster relief, no longer controls emergency operations, and no longer commands one of the government’s most visible platforms.
Read Full Article on Nyasa Times
[paywall]
Disaster response, which touches food aid, housing, humanitarian assistance and international funding, is now firmly under State House. While Saidi says DoDMA will continue working with districts and partners across the country, the real authority now sits with the President. Every major decision on floods, droughts, hunger and emergency aid will now flow through the Office of the President and Cabinet.
[/paywall]
