Chilima yet to occupy official residence

Five months into his tenure of office, Vice-President Saulos Chilima remains in his private house despite his office being allocated an official residence, Nation on Sunday can report.

However, the VP’s office has attributed the delayed relocation to continued renovation of the official residence in Area 12 in the Capital City.

The Vice-President’s press officer Pilirani Phiri confirmed the VP was still living in his private home due to ongoing renovations at his official residence.

“It’s not intentional; the maintenance work at the Area 12 residence started soon after the elections and we are now almost close to finishing the renovations. Very soon the Vice-President will move into the official residences,” said Phiri, adding that some of the VP’s property has already been moved to the official house.

The house was previously occupied by immediate past vice-president Khumbo Kachali from 2012 until May this year. It was also used by former president Joyce Banda who deputised the late Bingu wa Mutharika from 2009 to 2012.

Chilima’s other official house is in the commercial city of Blantyre, known as the Mudi Residence.

Since he assumed office, Chilima, charged by President Peter Mutharika to spearhead civil service reforms, has been constantly at the seat of government where his office is located.

Chilima, 41, left his job as managing director of mobile communications company Airtel Malawi to join politics prior to the 2014 elections after he was nominated by Mutharika as Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential running mate.