Malawi VP Ansah’s blue gloves spark speculation

First Vice President Jane Ansah has prompted widespread speculation in Malawi after she was seen wearing blue plastic surgical gloves at a public event in Mzimba, amid what political observers describe as an increasingly strained relationship with President Peter Mutharika.

Ansah wore the gloves at the Umthetho ceremony of the Ngoni people, an occasion at which Second Vice President Enock Chihana, rather than Ansah, represented the President as guest of honour – itself a notable departure from Malawi’s constitutional protocol, under which the First Vice President ranks above the Second.

The sighting has drawn attention chiefly because it comes against a backdrop of reported friction between Mutharika and his deputy, with sources close to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) suggesting Ansah has been increasingly excluded from official presidential functions in recent months, even as she retains her formal constitutional standing.

No explanation for the gloves has been offered by Ansah’s office or by State House. In the absence of any official comment, speculation has proliferated, with some suggesting the gloves may reflect genuine personal safety concerns, including unverified suggestions that Ansah may fear contamination through physical contact such as handshakes. Such claims remain speculative and unconfirmed.

The episode adds to a pattern of incidents in recent weeks that have drawn scrutiny to Ansah’s position within government. She has continued to maintain a visible public profile through her foundation’s charitable work, including a farmer donation drive and community luncheon in Rumphi, even as questions persist over her diminishing role in official state functions.

Neither the Vice President’s office nor State House has commented publicly on the reported tensions or on the specific circumstances surrounding Saturday’s event.