Malawi Vice President Saulos Chilima is likely to face impeachment following his boss Reverend Lazarus Chakwera’s announcement of stopping delegating duties to him.
Chakwera decision comes after using Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Martha Chizuma’s substandard report on corruption by public officers in Malawi government.
By withholding Chilima’s delegating duties, means that he is constructively fired from the position. But due to constitution of the land that guides presidency office, Chilima remains First Malawi Vice President.
“As for the Vice President, his office is unique,” the president said adding “as such, the best I can do for now, which is what I have decided to do, is to withhold from his office any delegated duties,” says Chakwera.
However, politically, Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has found a gate way to remove Chilima for succession, therefore will use the same constitution on section 88 (2) to impeach Chilima and replace him with their favorites for Chakwera’s easy ride in 2025.
As political vultures may be out in the jungle now, what the vice president can expect, if this is his moment of fate, is inserted in section 86 of the constitution.
“The President or First Vice-President shall be removed from office where the President or First Vice-President, as the case may be, has been indicted and convicted by impeachment.
“The procedure for impeachment shall be as laid down by the Standing Orders of Parliament, provided that they are in full accord with the principles of natural justice…”
At this point, it will be about the game of numbers.
Section 86 (2) reads: “indictment on impeachment shall require the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of the National Assembly…”
Politics, as we can all testify, is a slippery field. If this will not work, MCP will use the same constitution to appoint Second Vice President who might be given duties while Chilima remains idle while waiting another Chizuma substandard report.
Interestingly, Chakwera has not given Chizuma timeline on final report for Chilima and others as he did with the one released on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.
Chakwera and his cohorts have played smart game to eliminate Chilima in their circles which will be difficult for him to defend.
The best way for Chilima now is to honorably resign that Chizuma’s substandard report be vindicated later.