WASHINGTON- Malawi should quickly swear in Vice President Joyce Banda as the new president to succeed Bingu wa Mutharika, who has died in office, the U.S. State Department said on Friday.

“Malawi’s constitution lays out a clear path for succession and we expect it to be observed. We are concerned about the delay in the transfer of power. We trust that the vice president who is next in line will be sworn in shortly,” it said in a statement.