The political trajectory of Malawi’s Second Vice President has reached its ceiling. By all visible signs, this is as far as his career will go. He is unlikely to rise beyond this office, and if he does not urgently restrain his public speech, he risks something even more serious: dismissal from office. This is not speculation driven by malice. It is a sober reading of politics, power, and responsibility.
First, a basic but critical fact must be stated clearly. The position of Second Vice President is appointed, not elected. It exists at the pleasure of the President. That reality alone demands discipline, restraint, and loyalty to national unity. Loose talk may be tolerated in opposition politics, but it is dangerous in high executive office.
Yet the Second Vice President’s recent public utterances fall far below the standard expected of his position.
By suggesting that people from the Central Region are being denied subsidised farm inputs as punishment for voting out the MCP in the 16 September elections, he crossed a serious line. The MCP, whether one likes it or not, is historically and demographically a Central Region party. Most of its supporters come from that region. To imply collective punishment of an entire region is not only reckless but deeply divisive.
Words matter. When they come from the second-highest office in the land, they carry even more weight.
The reaction has been swift and telling. The Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP), one of the country’s most respected moral voices, publicly condemned the remarks. Church mother bodies do not intervene lightly in politics. When they do, it is because they sense danger to national cohesion. Their intervention signals how far these comments strayed from acceptable leadership conduct.
More importantly, the people of the Central Region heard the message clearly—and they are angry. Politics is ultimately about people. Once a leader alienates an entire region through careless speech, rebuilding trust becomes nearly impossible. In electoral terms, this is political self-destruction.
The problem does not end there. The Second Vice President has also publicly attacked Chewa cultural expression, particularly Gule Wamkulu, dismissing it in a manner that many interpreted as cultural intolerance. Telling political opponents to “go back to Dambwe,” a sacred cultural space, was not just a political insult; it was an attack on identity. Malawi is a plural society. Leaders who mock or demean culture cannot lead a united nation.
Within the ruling Blue Alliance, this has created a growing problem. Instead of being an asset, the Second Vice President is increasingly seen as a political liability. President Arthur Peter Mutharika, now in his second term, has shown little interest in appeasing anyone at the expense of stability. If a senior appointee becomes a source of division, the President has both the authority and the incentive to act.
History also provides perspective. The Second Vice President’s father rose to the same office, and credit must be given to the son for reaching that height. That achievement deserves recognition. But lineage does not guarantee progression. Advancement in politics requires discipline, wisdom, and inclusive language. On this front, the benchmark has been reached—and exceeded in the wrong direction.
Let us be frank: this is not the profile of a future Vice President elected by the nation, let alone a President. National leadership demands a unifying tongue. What we see instead is a divisive one. Elections are won by expanding coalitions, not insulting regions, cultures, or voters.
Unless there is a dramatic change in tone and conduct, the conclusion is unavoidable. The political road ahead narrows here. With every reckless statement, the Second Vice President writes himself out of Malawi’s future leadership story.
In politics, silence can be strength. Words, when careless, can be the end.
