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Malawi has a new second-in-command — and she’s making history in more ways than one. Dr Jane Mayemu Ansah, SC, a veteran lawyer and former judge, has been sworn in as the country’s vice president after the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) decisive victory in the 2025 general elections.
Ansah, 69, is not just Malawi’s new female vice president; she is also married to a Ghanaian clergyman, a fact that adds a cross-continental twist to her story.
A Landslide Win
The DPP ticket, led by former president Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika with Ansah as his running mate, clinched a convincing victory with about 56.8% of the vote. The result marked Mutharika’s political comeback and confirmed the electorate’s faith in a duo that promised to tackle Malawi’s economic challenges and strengthen democratic institutions.
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Ansah thus becomes only the second woman in Malawi’s history to hold such a high office — following in the footsteps of Dr Joyce Banda, who served as vice president from 2009 to 2012 before becoming president.
The Ghanaian Link
Beyond the politics, Ansah’s personal life has long intrigued Malawians. For 42 years, she has been married to Bishop Dr Joseph Addo Ansah, a Ghanaian-born church leader.
Dr Jane Ansah, Malawi’s New Female Vice President Married to a Ghanaian Pastor
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Theirs is a partnership that has spanned decades of public service, legal milestones, and ministry. In interviews over the years, Ansah has credited her husband’s steady support as key to her ability to break barriers in Malawi’s male-dominated legal and political spaces.
A Legal Trailblazer
Ansah’s professional résumé reads like a chronicle of Malawi’s democratic journey:
1978: Called to the Malawi Bar.
1997/98: Appointed High Court judge.
2006–2011: Became Malawi’s first female Attorney-General.
2011: Elevated to the Supreme Court of Appeal.
2016–2020: Chaired the Malawi Electoral Commission, steering the institution through one of the most turbulent elections in the country’s history.
Dr Jane Ansah, Malawi’s new female vice president married to a Ghanaian pastor
Her tenure at the electoral commission ended after the courts annulled the disputed 2019 presidential election, citing irregularities, and ordered fresh polls. Ansah’s resignation underlined her reputation as a firm but fair public servant.
Academic Firsts
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A lifelong student of the law, Ansah earned:
A Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Malawi,
A Master’s degree in International Human Rights Law, and
A PhD in the same field from the University of Nottingham in the UK.
Dr Jane Ansah, Malawi’s New Female Vice President Married to a Ghanaian Pastor
She is the first and only female judge in Malawi to hold a PhD, a distinction that inspires many young lawyers — particularly women — across the region.
Significance of Her Vice-Presidency
Ansah’s election as vice president is being hailed as a triumph for both women’s leadership and rule-of-law politics in Malawi. Many see her as the bridge between the judiciary and the executive at a time when institutional trust remains fragile.
Her Ghanaian connection also resonates in pan-African conversations about cross-border partnerships and the value of diversity in leadership.
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A Role Model Beyond Borders
For Malawian girls who dream of breaking glass ceilings, and for African women in law and politics, Ansah’s story is one of persistence, learning, and ethical leadership. Her marriage to a Ghanaian clergyman underscores the personal dimensions of regional integration — showing that African leaders can embody more than national identity in shaping their countries’ futures.
Dr Jane Ansah’s journey from the courtroom to the vice-presidential office — supported by her Ghanaian partner of more than four decades — is not just a personal milestone. It is a fresh chapter in Malawi’s democratic story, and a reminder of the power of trailblazing women in public life.