By Rahim Abdul
Malawi’s Second Vice President, Jane Ansah, has extended her official stay in the United Kingdom, a development that has attracted public attention amid growing calls for transparency over government travel.
Ansah initially left Malawi on December 26 last year and was scheduled to return on January 10, according to official communication from her office.
However, the Office of the Second Vice President has now confirmed that her return date has been pushed forward to January 16, following an extension of her stay abroad.
Speaking through a formal statement, the office’s spokesperson, Richard Mveriwa, explained that the extension was necessary because Ansah had not concluded all the activities she had travelled to the UK to undertake.
Mveriwa emphasized that the decision to prolong the visit was purely administrative and linked to unfinished official business, dismissing speculation surrounding the change in schedule.
The extension, however, comes at a time when scrutiny over public expenditure remains high, particularly on foreign travel by senior government officials.
Civil rights watchdog Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has since weighed in, calling for greater oversight regarding the trip.
HRDC has formally asked Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to investigate the funds used during Ansah’s UK visit, citing the need for accountability in the use of public resources.
The request by HRDC adds a new dimension to the matter, placing the extension of the trip within a broader national debate on governance, transparency, and fiscal responsibility.
As the country awaits Ansah’s return, attention is now shifting to Parliament and whether the requested probe will proceed, potentially setting a precedent for closer monitoring of official foreign travel.
