Jane Ansah

Jane Ansah
Ansah in 2020
9th Vice-President of Malawi
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 October 2025
PresidentPeter Mutharika
Preceded byMichael Usi
Chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission
In office
October 2016 – 21 May 2020
Preceded byMaxon Mbendera
Succeeded byChifundo Kachale
Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal of Malawi
In office
2011–2016
Attorney General of Malawi
In office
2006–2011
Preceded byRalph Kasambara
Succeeded byMaxon Mbendera
Personal details
Born (1955-10-11) 11 October 1955
Nkhoma, Lilongwe District, Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (now Malawi)
PartyDemocratic Progressive Party (since 2025)
SpouseBishop Dr. Joseph Addo Ansah
Children3
EducationUniversity of Malawi
University of Nottingham
OccupationJudge • Politician

Jane Mayemu Ansah, S.C. (born 11 October 1955) is a Malawian politician, lawyer and from 2025, the Vice-President of Malawi.

She served as a judge on Malawi's High Court from 1998, as the first female Attorney General in Malawi from 2006 to 2011, and then as a judge on the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2011.[1]

Ansah served as the chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) from 2016 to 2020,[2][3] and is most known for her actions in that position during the 2019 Malawian general election. Her role in this position sparked nation-wide protests both in support and in opposition to her role due to alleged election irregularities, leading demonstrators to call for her resignation.[4] In July 2020, Ansah resigned[5] and left Malawi,[6] but in 2025 she was elected[7] after she became a vice-presidential candidate for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Malawi.[8]

Career

Ansah served as a High Court judge from December 1998. She then served as Attorney General of Malawi from 2006 to 2011. She was appointed as a judge on the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2011. One of the appeal cases she presided over in 2015 was the divorce settlement for Rachel Sophie Sikwese, who was a fellow High Court judge.[9]

Ansah was appointed to Chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission in October 2016 succeeding Justice Maxon Mbendera.[10][11]

2019 Malawi elections misconducts

Ansah was accused of mismanaging the 2019 Malawian general election which led to the Jane Ansah Must Fall campaign in which nation-wide anti-Jane Ansah protests calling for her resignation occurred in June and July 2019.[12][13] A group of women (pro-Jane Ansah camp), led by Seodi White and Minister of Gender Mary Navicha argued that Ansah was a victim of sexism and gender discrimination.[14] They staged counter protests in solidarity with Jane Ansah and her role in the elections.[15] Thousands of women marched in defense of her role in the elections, many wearing shirts written "I am Jane Ansah".[16] Both the High Court of Malawi (sitting as a Constitutional Court) and the Supreme Court of Malawi in their respective rulings which nullified the elections, found the electoral commission under her leadership negligent.[17]

Calls for Jane Ansah were intensified by the wave of demonstrations that were led by Civil society group Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) that was led by Timothy Mtambo, Gift Trapence, Billy Mayaya, Luke Tembo, Mcdonald Sembereka and others.[18] Other groups also demanded that Ansah resign, with Malawi Congress Party Diaspora Network Chairperson, Chalo Mvula, also adding calls for Ansah to go.[19]

Resignation

On 21 May 2020, Ansah announced her resignation as chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission after two successive court rulings confirmed massive irregularities in the 2019 elections. Consequently the courts ordered that fresh presidential elections be held. On 22 May 2020 President Arthur Peter Mutharika accepted her resignation.[5] On 7 June 2020, President Mutharika appointed Justice Dr. Chifundo Kachale as the new MEC chairperson replacing Judge Ansah.[20]

Continued activity in politics

In April 2025 she became a Democratic Progressive Party candidate for the National Assembly.[21] In July, she became a vice-presidential candidate for the DPP,[8] supporting ex-President Peter Mutharika.[22] They were elected after gathering more than 50% of the votes.[7]

Controversies

In December 2025, Ansah faced public criticism for planning a private trip to the United Kingdom to attend her husband’s 80th birthday with an entourage of about 16 people at an estimated cost of K2.3 billion, which commentators said appeared to contravene government austerity measures her administration had announced to reduce public spending.[23] In response to the criticism, on 24 December, the Government of Malawi stated that the earlier memorandum circulating about a K2.3 billion budget for the trip was fake and did not originate from any official government office, and clarified that Ansah’s planned UK visit would include herself and five accompanying officials at an estimated cost of about K168 million.[24]

Private life

Ansah is a married to a Ghanaian minister and they run a church in Lilongwe where they are both ministers. They have three children and one daughter is also a church minister. In 2025 they had been married for 42 years and all of their children live in the UK.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Justice Ansah sworn in as new Malawi Electoral Commission Chairperson". Malawi Nyasa Times. 2016-10-22. Archived from the original on 2019-07-11. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  2. ^ "Jane Ansah SC appointed Malawi Election Commission Chairperson". Maravi Post. 2016-10-14. Archived from the original on 2019-08-14. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  3. ^ Kumbani, Precious (22 October 2016). "Ansah sworn in as MEC chairperson". The Nation. Archived from the original on 2016-10-24. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  4. ^ "MEC Chairperson Jane Ansah has become a hero to many Malawi Women". The Maravi Post. 2019-05-26. Archived from the original on 2019-09-05. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  5. ^ a b "Ansah resigns as MEC chairperson: Pens Malawi leader". Nyasa Times. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Malawi: Ansah Cleared to Exit Malawi for UK Through Zambia". 7 July 2020. Archived from the original on 6 August 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  7. ^ a b c Dzida, Rick (2025-09-29). "Jane Ansah: From Njolomole via 'madando' to Vice Presidency Malawi 24 | Latest News from Malawi". Malawi 24. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
  8. ^ a b Munthali, Burnett (2025-08-13). "Inkosi Kandulu hosts DPP Running Mate Justice Jane Ansah, SC, in Mwanza". Malawi 24. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  9. ^ "MSCA Civil Appeal No. 76 of 2015: Rachel Sikwese vs. Gracian Banda Analysis". 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  10. ^ Simutowe, Yamikani. "APM appoints four new High Court Judges: Dr Jane Ansah is new MEC Chair". MBC. Archived from the original on 2019-08-10. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  11. ^ Kumbani, Precious (22 October 2016). "Ansah sworn in as MEC chairperson | the Nation Online". The Nation Online. Archived from the original on 24 October 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  12. ^ "Malawi's concerned youths on MEC Chair Jane Ansah must fall campaign". The Maravi Post. 2019-07-05. Archived from the original on 2019-09-06. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  13. ^ "Thousands of women join 'IamJaneAnsah' solidarity march in Blantyre". MBC. Archived from the original on 2019-07-11. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  14. ^ Mk, Lucky; awire (9 July 2019). "Minister to lead pro-Ansah protests". The Nation Online. Archived from the original on 2019-07-09. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  15. ^ "Gender discrimination blamed for Malawi election allegations | DW | 10.07.2019". DW.COM. Archived from the original on July 10, 2019. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  16. ^ "Malawi Women Protest in Defense of Embattled Election Chairperson". Voice of America. 10 July 2019. Archived from the original on 2021-11-14. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  17. ^ "Court nullifies APM victory, orders fresh election". Nation Online. 2020-02-04. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
  18. ^ "HRDC makes fresh demands for Ansahs resignation". Nyasa Times. 9 May 2020. Archived from the original on 2025-04-17. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
  19. ^ Namasani, Durell (14 March 2020). "Diaspora MCP intensifies calls for Jane Ansah to be fired". 247malawi.
  20. ^ "Mutharika appoints Kachale as MEC chair | Malawi 24 - Malawi news". Malawi24. 7 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  21. ^ "Jane Ansah comes out: to contest for DPP in 2025". Malawi 24. 2024-04-25. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  22. ^ ""I'm Back to Rescue Malawi" — Mutharika Declares as He Unveils Jane Ansah as Running Mate". 2025-07-25. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  23. ^ "Veep Ansah under fire over K2.3 billion UK trip to attend husband's 80th birthday as austerity crumbles". www.nyasatimes.com. 2025-12-22. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
  24. ^ "Veep Ansah UK trip on: Expenses pegged at MK168m for five officials". The Maravi Post. 2025-12-24. Retrieved 2025-12-25.
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