Malawi’s top comedian-turned-politician Micheal Usi has been sworn as the country’s Vice-President, replacing Saulos Chilima, who died along with eight others in a plane crash earlier this month.
Usi, 55, was sworn-in at a ceremony on Friday which held in parliament in the capital, Lilongwe.
Dr. Usi received a standing ovation when he spoke after his inauguration, saying he accepted the role with a mixture of sadness and gratitude.
He promised to honour his predecessor’s memory and thanked President Lazarus Chakwera for believing in him as he takes up his position as VP.
His appointment has however attracted divergent views among Malawians who query his readiness to take up the responsibility.
Some have shared the new Vice President’s acting career clips on social media, wanting to know his seriousness.
Others however have praised President Chakwera for appointing Chilima’s party deputy and honouring the spirit of the alliance between their two parties in the power-sharing government.
Dr Usi is no stranger to controversy given his acting career. He is popularly known as “Manganya”, the name of a mischievous character he still plays in popular TV sitcom Tikuferanji.
His aide told the BBC on Friday that he was filming an episode as recently as last week.
He has been a staple on national radio and television for more than two decades making him one of the most recognisable local celebrities.
Dr Usi has also been a passionate advocate for developing and promoting Malawi’s film industry in which it is difficult to make a living.
The new Vice-President, who is married with two daughters, also holds a PhD in youth development from the University of Bedfordshire in the UK.
In fresh elections that were held in 2020, the UTM party joined eight other opposition political parties to form an electoral alliance, which picked Dr Chakwera as presidential candidate with Dr Chilima as the running mate, and they won.
Dr Usi, was Chilima’s deputy and was named in cabinet as minister of tourism, culture and wildlife, a position he held between July 2020 and February 2023.
