Opposition parties, including the United Transformation Movement and the United Democratic Front, have publicly condemned the alleged systematic undermining of Vice President Jane Mayemu Ansah, according to a March 27 report by Pan African Visions. The parties claim Ansah is facing underfunding, the withdrawal of security, and public humiliation. President Arthur Peter Mutharika and his Cabinet have remained silent on the issue, offering no official response.
In legislative news, Parliament officially passed the K10.978 trillion 2026/2027 National Budget on March 25, Ecofin Agency reports. The agriculture sector received the largest allocation at K971.3 billion, followed by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation at K558.07 billion. The budget approval takes place during a period of economic difficulty, though the International Monetary Fund projects a 2.7 percent economic growth rate for the year.
Meanwhile, tensions flared in Parliament on March 26 when Speaker Sameer Suleman ejected Malawi Congress Party lawmaker Kelvin Mphande and independent Member of Parliament Sylvester Ayuba James. The ejections followed a dispute over the composition of a 13-member ad hoc committee formed to investigate the 2024 Chikangawa plane crash. Following the commotion, the Leader of the Opposition announced that the MCP is withdrawing from the investigative team, citing concerns over government bias and the committee's credibility, according to reports by Malawi24 and the Malawi Freedom Network.