Unless you are a stranger in Jerusalem but it is undeniable a fact that Malawi’s Vice Presidents have been at the receiving end of the most inhumane and undignified treatment from their bosses, the President. To be clear, late President Bingu Wa Mutharika and his younger brother Peter Mutharika are the ones who perpetuated this egregious behavior towards their respective deputies, Joyce Banda and Saulos Chilima.
However, in 2019, Saulos Chilima, refusing to be relegated to a mere afterthought, engaged in a fierce showdown with his superior, Peter Mutharika, a clash so bitter that it ultimately led to Peter Mutharika’s ousting as President, leaving Chilima still in his role as Vice President, a pivotal piece in the puzzle that secured Lazarus Chakwera’s presidential victory in 2020.
Although the Chakwera-Chilima dynamic has undergone periods of harmony, it hit rock bottom when Vice President Chilima found himself embroiled in corruption allegations, a legal battle he is currently entangled in. Since his apprehension in June 2022, the President declared a cessation of delegating duties to him until he is exonerated by the courts.
Nevertheless, the Malawian leader has today tasked him, Chilima, with representing the nation at Tanzania’s 60th anniversary celebrations, a move hailed by many Malawians as a beacon of hope for a collaborative and respectful relationship between the President and his Vice.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chilima is slated to journey to the Union of the Republic of Tanzania on Thursday to mark the milestone anniversary, returning on Saturday, April 27th, 2024.
This development has sparked widespread jubilation among Malawians, who view it as a refreshing departure from the tumultuous and adversarial relationship that has historically characterized the interaction between Presidents and their Vice Presidents, often leaving the latter bruised and sidelined due to the perceived lack of authority in their position.
