Oath of office

(1) Before a person elected to be President or First Vice-President or appointed to be First Vice-President or Second Vice-President takes office that person shall take the following oath which shall be administered in public by the Chief Justice— "I, __________________________ do solemnly swear that I will well and truly perform the functions of the high office of President (or Vice-President) of the Republic of Malawi, and that I will preserve and defend the Constitution, and that I will do right to all manner of people according to law without fear or favour, affection or ill-will. So help me God." (2) Instead of taking an oath, the President, First Vice-President or Second Vice-President may, if he or she thinks fit, make an affirmation which shall be in the like form with the substitution of "affirm" for "swear", and the omission of the final sentence. (3) A person elected to be President or First Vice President shall not be sworn into office until after the expiry of seven days but before expiry of thirty days from the date the election result is declared. [subsection (3) substituted by section 6(a) of Act 13 of 2020 ] (4) A person appointed to be First Vice President or Second Vice President in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution, shall be sworn into office within fourteen days of being appointed. [subsection (4) inserted by section 6(b) of Act 13 of 2020 ] (5) The President and First Vice-President shall hold office until such time as his or her successor is sworn in. [subsection (5), previously subsection (4), renumbered by section 6(c) of Act 13 of 2020 ] [31 of 1994; 13 of 2001]