By Tiyeni Malawians
If I were Peter Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi and leader of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), I would have walked into that Cabinet room at State house, looked around and asked the only question that mattered:
“Where is the Vice-President?”
If no one had a satisfactory answer, I would have picked up the phone and called Jane Ansah myself.
“Madam Vice-President, where are you? Why are you not in Cabinet?”
And if she said she had not received her Cabinet bag, I would have cancelled the meeting on the spot.
If I were Peter Mutharika born in Chisoka village in Thyolo I would not sit there conducting government business while my First Vice-President sat outside, excluded from a meeting she should ordinarily attend.
I would have wanted to know why the invitation never reached her, who was responsible, and whether the decision to leave her out had my knowledge or authority.
If she further told me she had written the Chief Secretary three times seeking answers and received nothing, my concern would have deepened.
A First Vice-President forced to go on national radio to say she has repeatedly sought answers from the Chief Secretary is not a minor protocol lapse.
It is a leadership failure.
If I were Getrude husband myself, I would have remembered the campaign trail,Jane Ansah criss-crossing the country, conducting rallies, working long hours, enduring sleepless nights to return the DPP to power.
If I were Late Bingu Wamutharika’s brother would have remembered that while others slept at home, she was on the ground doing the work.
So if the woman who helped carry the party through that campaign while Che saidi was conveniently sleeping at home was now telling me she was being sidelined, I would have taken it seriously.
Not merely because she is the Vice-President,
but because if a problem existed inside my own government, I would want to hear it from her first and not from Zodiak.
If I were Mapwiya
I would have called her.
I would have listened.
I would have found out who was responsible.
And I would have made it clear that the First Vice President does not have to fight for a seat at the Cabinet table.
But then again, I am not the Mkulukuta Moyo himself.
I am just 𝗧𝗶𝘆𝗲𝗻𝗶 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 holding my Mbamu.
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