By Deogratias Mmana:
Vice President Michael Usi Friday took oath of office with a warning to civil servants: ‘Don’t frustrate me’.
“I will perform my duties for the good of Malawians. I will perform my duties in extension of President Chakwera’s work. I would not want anybody working in the civil service to frustrate me,” Usi said.
He made the remarks at a swearing-in ceremony at Parliament in Lilongwe yesterday, a day after President Lazarus Chakwera appointed him in that capacity.
Usi cautioned public officers and cabinet ministers to avoid gossiping and misunderstanding him to be trying to outshine the President when he performs his work with sincerity and honesty.
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Usi, who is vice president for UTM, a major partner in the Tonse Alliance, has ascended to the state office following the death of Saulos Chilima and eight other citizens in a plane crash on June 10, 2024.
In his statement, Usi thanked Chakwera and Malawians for entrusting him with the new role.
“Friday, it pleased Your Excellency to exercise your constitutional powers in appointing me to serve as your Vice President over this beautiful Republic and with fear and trembling, I accepted the appointment and as I have taken the oath of office as Vice President of Malawi, I am filled with gratitude,” he said.
He also expressed his gratitude to the late Chilima for entrusting him with the position of vice president of the UTM and for believing in him that he could make a good Vice President as he chose him to be his running mate in the 2019 elections.
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“I am also grateful to you Mr. President for sharing in that belief by having me as a senior member of your government from the beginning until now and for honouring Dr. Chilima’s legacy by bestowing upon me this distinguished honour.
“And I pledge to you today, Your Excellency, that even though I know that [Saulos Klaus Chilima] SKC’s shoes are too big for me to fill, I will work hard and do my best to ensure that we deliver on the bold agenda that you have for this country,” Usi said.
The Vice President said that with Chakwera’s help, he would succeed in his new job as he supported Chilima.
He thanked his family for supporting him throughout his life during which he said he has “fought my battles to serve the poorest of the poor in our country and I hope to make them proud as I use this new position to do the same.”
Usi assured Malawians that all people in positions are merely servants of the people and he called on them to serve the public.
“And for that reason we will take this tragedy [the plane crash] as a teaching and sobering moment for us to do better, for us to work harder, for us to serve you more diligently.
“We cannot do otherwise because the alternative to moving forward into the brighter future we are creating is a return to a darker past we cannot accept,” he added.
He promised Malawians: “I pledge to you nothing but sacrificial service to our country, its citizens and its flag for that is also the best way to honour the memory of Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima, so help me God.”
Registrar of the Supreme Court and High Court Kondwani Banda invited Usi to take the oath of office at 3.28pm.
The administration of the oath which was presided over by the Chief Justice Rizine Mzikamanda ran from 3.30pm to 3.32pm.
Usi then signed in the oath book as his wife, Ella, stood by his side.
Usi gave his acceptance speech from 3.38 pm to 3.56pm. The entire ceremony ended at 4.pm as Chakwera and Usi left the Parliament chambers.
Spokesperson for the Tonse alliance, George Mnesa, welcomed the appointment of Usi saying he was the most senior member in the UTM.
He said he hoped that the coming in of Usi as Vice President would foster unity in the alliance.
Usi comes from Mulanje District. He was born on December 16, 1968. He obtained a diploma in clinical medicine at Malamulo College of Health Sciences in 1999 in Thyolo.
He has a doctorate of philosophy from the University of Bedfordshire University in the UK obtained in 2018.
He also holds a Masters degree in international development in 2005 from Andrew’s University in the US and another in strategic management in 2008 from Derby University in the United Kingdom.
He also got a bachelor’s degree in international development in 2003 from Andrew’s University in the United States of America.
