EDITORIAL | The Forum
Enoch Chihana finally has what his late father once had: the title of Second Vice President of Malawi. But unlike Chakufwa Chihana, who also served as Minister of Agriculture, the younger Chihana will have to settle for less.
He made no secret of wanting that agriculture portfolio, arguing that he could help solve Malawi’s chronic food insecurity. But President Peter Mutharika had other ideas, naming Roza Fatchi Mbilizi to the post instead. Mbilizi now makes history as the first woman to lead that critical ministry.
There’s no shame in ambition. As the saying goes, if you must eat a toad, pick a fat, juicy one. Chihana aimed high, but even a smaller toad can be worth the bite.
His appointment as Second Vice President, the first time the post has been filled in over two decades, carries symbolic weight. For many in the Northern Region, it’s a long-awaited return to relevance at the top table. The region has often felt left behind, with lagging development and limited representation in national leadership.
Chihana’s political journey has been anything but predictable. Once part of the opposition alliance that unseated Mutharika in 2020, he later broke ranks, disillusioned by its direction. His decision to side with Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party ahead of the 2025 elections sparked backlash, but it paid off.
Mutharika has since framed the appointment as a symbol of national unity. With Jane Ansah from the Central Region as First Vice President and Chihana from the North as Second, he says his government reflects the full map of Malawi. “It’s very important that everyone should feel they are participating in this country,” Mutharika said.
The late Chakufwa Chihana, a hero of Malawi’s democracy, helped end one-party rule and twice held the same vice presidency under Bakili Muluzi. His son now inherits not just a title, but expectations to match.
Whether he meets them depends on how he uses the influence of his office. Mutharika’s push to relocate parastatals to Blantyre and Zomba and extend government operations to the North could create openings, if Chihana is ready to push for his region’s fair share.
In politics, one doesn’t always get the ministry one wants. What matters is what one makes of the job given. Chihana may not have landed the Agriculture Ministry, but he has the ear of the President and a chance to make his mark.
He may not be eating the fat, juicy toad he hoped for, but he’s still at the table. The test now is whether he can turn that meal into something that feeds the nation.
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See in People’s Forum: Malawi’s Second VP Chihana, Minister Gangata: Roles and duties explained.
