By Mwai Mtumodzi
Renowned private practice lawyer Benedicto Kondowe has dismissed claims by the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) that there is a leadership vacuum in the country following the departure of President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika to South Africa for a private trip.
Kondowe was reacting to sentiments made by two MCP senior officials, Jessie Kabwila and Moses Kunkuyu, at a press briefing in Lilongwe, who argued that the Vice President, Jane Ansah, must address the nation on the whereabouts of President Mutharika, as she is automatically in charge of affairs in the absence of Mutharika.
However, reacting to the calls, Kondowe, who is also Chairperson of the National Advocacy Platform (NAP), dismissed the claims, saying they lack any legal backing.
“Section 79 of the Constitution defines the Vice-President’s mandate, while Section 92(3) provides for her role in presiding over Cabinet meetings during the President’s temporary absence,” said Kondowe. “Neither provision suggests that the President’s travel necessarily requires the Vice-President to address the nation.”
According to Kondowe, MCP’s call, although constitutionally permissible, is unnecessary and potentially misleading.
“The President’s private travel does not create a leadership vacuum, nor does it constitute a failure to discharge his constitutional responsibilities, nor automatically transfer presidential powers to the Vice-President”, he said.
Kondowe added that government operations do not depend solely on the President’s physical presence, as established institutional arrangements allow the Presidency to continue addressing national concerns.
He warned that MCP’s demand risked creating an unwarranted perception of a constitutional or leadership crisis, arguing that attention should instead focus on the government’s effectiveness in addressing citizens’ concerns.
President Mutharika left Malawi for a brief private visit to South Africa on 6 October 2026, two days after delivering a national address marking his first year in office.
During the address, he highlighted his administration’s achievements, including efforts to stabilise the economy and reduce the price of a 50-kilogramme bag of maize to K45,000.
The administration has also reported a decline in inflation to about 19 percent in September 2026, from approximately 27 percent during the same period last year.
