Public anger is growing in Malawi after reports revealed that Vice President Jane Ansah is travelling to the United Kingdom with a large, taxpayer-funded entourage to attend her husband’s 80th birthday celebration.
The trip, estimated to cost about K2.3 billion (roughly $1.3 million), sparked outrage on Monday after documents from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs showed Ansah is scheduled to be in Nottingham from December 26 to January 10. Critics say the journey appears to be a private family visit rather than an official engagement.
According to local reports, Ansah’s husband, Dr. J.A. Ansah, lives in the UK with their children and is marking his 80th birthday. Despite the private nature of the visit, the Malawi High Commission in London was reportedly instructed to provide full protocol and logistical support befitting the office of the Vice President.
Public frustration has been intensified by claims that the delegation includes about 16 people, among them personal assistants, security officers, protocol and medical staff, the Vice President’s brother, and a close family friend described as a “special guest.”
Many Malawians see the trip as especially insensitive, coming at a time when the government is enforcing austerity measures while citizens struggle with food shortages, fuel scarcity, and shortages of essential medicines.
Civil society groups have openly condemned the move. The Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency described it as an abuse of public resources, warning that such actions erode public trust and contradict government calls for sacrifice.
While Ansah’s press officer confirmed the trip, he declined to comment on its purpose or cost. For many citizens, however, the controversy goes beyond one journey, raising broader concerns about privilege, accountability, and whether austerity applies only to ordinary people while leaders remain insulated from hardship.
