Malawians must not confuse the role of the President with that of the Vice President

As Malawians are going to the polls on 16 September, it is important to appreciate the distinct responsibilities of both the President and Vice President.

It is very unfortunate that many Malawians are getting excited about the appointment of a running mate, disregarding the competence of the presidential candidate.

According to the Malawi Constitution, once a presidential candidate is ushered into power, he has control over his vice president.

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.

Additionally, section 96 discusses the Vice President’s role in the Cabinet and the responsibilities that come with being a member of the executive branch.

In a nutshell, the office of the vice president is a delegated one waiting for the President to instruct him on what to do.

With late Saulos Chilima as the Vice President, why was Malawi experiencing rampant corruption, high inflation rate, high unemployment rate, scarcity of forex, and shortage of fuel under the Chakwera administration?

Does the electorate think that President Chakwera will start delivering because of Vitumbiko Mumba as his potential vice president?  This is a far-fetched dream.

It is unreasonable to think that Dalitso Kabambe’s performance and delivery will be positively influenced by Matthews Mtumbuka as his potential vice president.

Therefore, it also beats the logic that Jane Ansah as a potential vice president, will determine the competence of her President Peter Mutharika.

In view of the foregoing, voters are cordially advised to evaluate the competences of presidential candidates more than those of their running mates.

**The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author, Rick Dzida, and do not necessarily reflect those of Malawi24 or its editorial team.