By Rick Dzida
Jubilations and ululations have become the order of the day as the Chakwera- Mumba pair has recently resurfaced in the political discourses.
This has given some Malawians a ray of hope that Mumba has the potential of reversing the clueless and directionless Chakwera’s leadership.
Frankly speaking, Vitumbiko Augeans Zasamula Mumba is a highly qualified candidate for the potential vice president of Malawi due to his professional background as a civil engineer, his pan-African identity, his role as an associate arbitrator, his work as an evangelist, and his involvement in politics.
However, does Mumba possess the ability to make important decisions independently of state President Chakwera?
Section 94 of the Malawi Constitution stipulates that the Vice President shall assist the President in the performance of the functions of the office of the President.
Furthermore, section 95 of the Constitution details the circumstances under which the Vice President may act as President, particularly in the event of the President’s absence or incapacity.
At the time Malawi is experiencing high inflation rates, high unemployment rate, shortage of fuel and escalating corruption, Vitumbiko has held a number of influential positions within the Malawi Congress Party ranks.
Mumba became the National Executive Committee Member of MCP on 30th August 2024.
Moreover, he was later appointed as the Minister of Labour for the Chakwera Government on 11th December 2024.
Additionally, he was the Director of Strategic Planning for the North-South Region Committee of MCP from April 2024 to 30th August 2024.
According to the constitution, Chakwera is ultimately responsible for making final decisions, rather than the running mate Mumba.
In essence, casting a vote for MCP means you are essentially electing the incompetent Chakwera leadership into power.
