Renowned comedian-turned-politician, Michael Usi, has been sworn in as Malawi’s vice-president during a ceremony in Lilongwe’s parliament.
The 55-year-old takes over from Saulos Chilima, who tragically died in a plane crash earlier this month, along with eight others.
After his inauguration, Dr. Usi received a standing ovation as he expressed his mixed feelings of sadness and gratitude.
He pledged to honor his predecessor’s legacy and thanked President Lazarus Chakwera for his trust in him to serve as vice-president in the coalition government.
Dr. Usi’s appointment has sparked mixed reactions among Malawians. Some have shared clips of his acting career on social media, questioning his seriousness for such a high office.
Conversely, others have commended President Chakwera for respecting the alliance with Chilima’s party by appointing its deputy leader.
Known popularly as “Manganya,” the character he plays in the popular TV sitcom Tikuferanji, Dr. Usi has often been a controversial figure.
Despite his current political role, he was filming an episode just last week, according to his aide.
With over two decades of presence on national radio and television, Dr. Usi is a well-known celebrity in Malawi.
He has also been an advocate for the development of Malawi’s film industry, often struggling financially to make a living in this sector.
Initially funding his acting career through his work as a hospital clinician, he holds a qualification in clinical medicine and a PhD in youth development from the University of Bedfordshire, UK.
Dr. Usi has also worked extensively with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra), where he held various roles, including country director.
Through Adra, he supported educational radio and TV soaps addressing social issues such as HIV.
Despite his commitments at Adra, Dr. Usi continued his acting career and participated in various productions, primarily in the local Chichewa language.
His popularity as a comedian led some to initially perceive his political movement, founded around seven years ago, as a joke.
However, his political ambitions proved genuine, as his movement “Odya zake alibe Mulandu” (he who does not take what belongs to others but only eats what’s his is a free man) eventually merged with Dr. Chilima’s UTM party.
Dr. Usi’s political career gained momentum ahead of the 2019 elections, where he and Dr. Chilima held large rallies together. Dr. Chilima named Dr. Usi as his running mate, highlighting their shared eloquence and ability to draw large crowds.