Malawi VP Ansah faces renewed calls from church leaders to explain UK trip costs
Church chiefs and Catholic bosses have joined forces to demand Vice President Jane Ansah finally spill the beans on a mystery UK trip that’s cost Malawians months of confusion – and possibly BILLIONS in cash.
Ansah jetted off to Blighty last December for her husband’s 80th birthday bash – but the trip has been dogged by drama ever since leaked docs claimed it would cost taxpayers a jaw-dropping K2.3 BILLION, with the VP said to be rolling with a squad of MORE THAN 15 officers in tow.
Her office slapped down the figure straight away. Then government U-turned, insisting the real bill was actually K168 million – with just five people along for the ride. State House even chipped in, promising Ansah would foot the bill herself.
So which is it? Nobody knows. Months later, Malawians are STILL none the wiser on whether it was her cash, our cash, how many people actually went – or if a single kwacha has been paid back.
Now church boss Rev Donnex Ngalande has had enough, demanding the VP finally spill.
“Up to now there has been no public clarity: whether any public funds were used, whether they have been refunded, if they were, or whether the assurance of using personal resources was fulfilled,” he blasted.
Quoting scripture for good measure, Ngalande said: “Proverbs 11:1 reminds us that ‘a just weight is the delight of the Lord.’ We are therefore calling not for accusations but for clarity.”
“A simple statement from the relevant authorities confirming how the trip was funded will protect the integrity of the Office of the Vice President, uphold public trust, and close room for speculation.”
The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) piled in too, with boss Lewis Msiyadungu insisting Ansah has NO CHOICE but to come clean under the law.
“The office of the VP should indeed come out and be transparent about the trip as is stipulated in the Public Finance and Management Act and the Constitution,” he said.
He didn’t hold back on what’s at stake either: “The VP like all political and elected politicians hold power on trust on behalf of Malawians. It is in that spirit that there should be accountability demonstrated from the VP office on the trip.”
And leaked docs from December show the OG travel squad was seriously stacked – two personal assistants, five security guards, protocol staff, medics, admin bods, Ansah’s own brother Bona Mjojo, AND a mystery special guest.
That’s a lot more than five people – so someone’s maths definitely isn’t adding up.
The fresh grilling piles more pressure on Ansah, who’s already been at the centre of swirling rumours over being frozen out by President Peter Mutharika’s government – and was recently spotted wearing bizarre BLUE SURGICAL GLOVES at a public event in Mzimba, sparking wild chatter over what’s really going on behind the scenes.
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