Delegation cut from 15 to 5 after public outcry over trip costs
By The Forum
Vice President Jane Ansah left Malawi on Friday for the United Kingdom, where she will join her husband Bishop Joseph Addo Ansah in Nottingham to celebrate his 80th birthday.
State House says the Vice President will also undertake official engagements during the trip and is expected back in Malawi on 10 January 2026.
Earlier this week, government announced that Ansah will travel with a five-member delegation, with the trip costing MWK168 million, covering international travel and allowances. According to Government Spokesperson and Information Minister Shadric Namalomba, the cost would have been MWK294.7 million but was reduced in line with austerity measures.
“Considering the prevailing economic situation and the austerity measures announced by His Excellency President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika in October this year, the cost was substantially reduced to align with fiscal principles,” Namalomba said.
The announcement followed public backlash after leaked documents suggested Ansah planned to travel with 15 officials, a trip that would have cost taxpayers nearly MWK2 billion. The leaks triggered criticism that the government was not practising the austerity and fiscal restraint it has repeatedly promised.
The documents also appeared to contradict repeated assurances by President Peter Mutharika and Finance Minister Joseph Mwanamvekha that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration is committed to reducing public spending and protecting public resources.
During the 2025/2026 Mid-Year Budget Review, Mwanamvekha unveiled a series of austerity measures, presented as evidence of government’s determination to rein in public debt and restore fiscal discipline.
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Also Read: Austerity to save Malawi MWK44 billion, Finance Minister tells Parliament
Related: Poof! Ansah’s MK2bn UK trip blows a hole in Mwanamvekha’s austerity pledge
Related: HRDC challenges austerity claims, demands audit of Mutharika, Ansah junkets
